Serves 4

Steak doesn’t always have to be dished up with chips. Add this dressing to grilled beef for a warm salad that’s full of intense oriental flavours and is ready in less time than it takes to deliver a Chinese takeaway.

For the beef

2 sirloin steaks, trimmed of fat
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 bag mixed red and green salad leaves

For the hot soy dressing

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese oyster sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 spring onions, chopped into matchsticks
1 mild red chilli
2 tbsp salted cashew nuts

Heat the grill, or a griddle or frying pan, until hot. Rub the steaks with the olive oil, sea salt and lots of pepper. Cook on one side until well marked, then turn and cook to your liking. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thickly. Meanwhile, heat the soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey and sesame oil in a pan, stirring to mix. To serve, divide the steak and leaves between four dinner plates and spoon the sauce over the steak. Scatter with the spring onions, chilli and cashews.

TOP TIP

The same hot soy dressing tastes delicious with noodles. Just pour boiling water over fresh, oiled noodles, drain and toss in the hot dressing with lots of chopped spring onions.

QUICK FIX

For fast roast fish with a pesto crust, mixt 2 tbsp ready-made pesto with 4 tbsp ocarse breadcrumbs. Spread thickly on top of 4 fish fillets and bake at 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 10 minutes.

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