Black Pepper Kangaroo - Chef Recipe by Ben O'Donoghue
Ingredients
500 g kangaroo sirloin, cut into thin strips
2 Tbs cornflour (corn starch)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs sunflower oil
6 spring onions, finely chopped
4 salad onions, cut into 3cm lengths
1 Tbs chicken stock
2 bunches broccolini, tough stems removed and florets sliced in half
2 green capsicums, cut into strips
Steamed rice, to serve
1 Tbs chopped coriander to serve
Black Pepper Sauce:
2 Tbs kecap manis
2 Tbs oyster sauce
2 Tbs light soy sauce
250mL chicken stock
20 g ginger
20 g garlic
10 g red chilli
10 g dried shrimp, soaked in hot water to soften, then drained
10 g black peppercorns, cracked
1 Tbs sunflower oil
20 curry leaves
3 spring onions (scallions), white parts only, finely sliced
2 Tbs cornflour (cornstarch)
50 g salted butter
Method
First, make the black pepper sauce by combining the kecap manis, oyster and soy sauces and 250mL of stock in a small bowl and set aside.
In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pound or process the ginger, garlic, chilli and soaked shrimp to a paste, stir in the cracked pepper.
Heat the tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the curry leaves and fry for a few seconds, then add the spring onion whites and ginger garlic paste and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant, stir in the sauce mixture and bring to the boil.
In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of cornflour with an equal amount of water and whisk this mixture into the sauce, along with the butter, whisk until well combined and simmer for a few minutes to thicken – the sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon, set aside in a bowl or cup.
Prepare the kangaroo for frying by seasoning the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornflour with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate. Lightly dredge the kangaroo strips with the seasoned cornflour.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat, add the kangaroo in 2 batches, and sear for 2-3 minutes, until browned but still rare in the middle. Remove and set the kangaroo aside.
Use paper towels to wipe the wok clean and add the remaining oil, reheat the wok over high heat and sauté the spring and salad onions with the stock to get them cooking, add the broccolini and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the capsicum and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
Add the kangaroo and stir in 3 tablespoons of the black pepper sauce. Continue to stir-fry over high heat for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are well coated in the sauce.
Remove and serve immediately with steamed rice and freshly chopped coriander.
Equipment
Kecap manis is an Indonesian soy sauce that can be found in Asian supermarkets, or the international aisle of large supermarkets. If you don’t have any, use soy sauce mixed with a little soft brown sugar.
