Aromatic Vietnamese Beef Curry - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 lb beef strips
1 None Spanish onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 None fresh long red chili, chopped finely
1 (4 inch) stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped finely
1 None star anise
1 None cinnamon stick
4 None cardamom pods, bruised
13.5 oz green beans, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp black bean sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Heat 1 tbsp peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry beef, in batches, until browned. Remove from wok and cover to keep warm.
Add remaining oil to wok. Stir-fry onion for 3 mins, or until soft. Add garlic, chili, lemongrass, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom and green beans. Stir-fry until green beans are tender.
Return beef to wok along with black bean sauce and fish sauce. Stir-fry until heated through. Remove wok from heat and stir in cilantro and nuts. Discard star anise, cinnamon and cardamom before serving.