This is a very easy recipe you can make with any red meat. Lamb is traditional, and I use venison, but duck or goose would work, as would beef or goat. Try to get skinny leeks if you can find them, as they are more like the leeks the Chinese use. And if you can't find leeks, use onions. This dish doesn't keep well, so make and eat it. Also, if you want to double the recipe, don't double it and stir-fry it all at once: You don't want to overload the wok or pan; if you do, the dish won't cook right. Also use your strongest burner on its highest setting.
1 1/4poundvenison backstrap,sliced into 1/8-inch pieces
2cupscanola oil
2tablespoonsminced garlic
6to 8 very thin slices of ginger
2to 10 small,hot dried chiles, broken up and seeded
2medium leeks,white and light green parts only, sliced thin
1teaspoonsalt
Cilantro for garnish(optional)
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl that will hold all the sliced venison. Using your (very clean) hands, massage the marinade into the slices, making sure they separate from each other and get some of the marinade on every slice. Set the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes while you chop all the other vegetables.
Bring the 2 cups of canola oil to 375°F to 390°F in a small pot or wok. Set a colander or coarse mesh sieve over a bowl, and get a Chinese spider strainer or slotted spoon, plus a chopstick or butter knife ready. Put about 1/4 of the venison in the hot oil, and use the chopstick to separate the slices as soon as they hit the oil. Let the meat flash fry for 10 to 15 seconds, then use the strainer to move the meat to the colander to drain. Repeat with the rest of the meat, 1/4 at a time. When all the meat has been flash fried, turn off the heat and let the oil cool a bit. You can pour it into a heatproof container, strain it and use it several times before you need to toss it. If you fried in a wok, leave about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok. If not, put 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil into a large frying pan.
Heat the oil over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the sliced leeks and stir-fry for 1 minute, until they wilt.
Add the meat back to the wok or pan and stir-fry for another minute, sprinkling the salt over everything as you do this. Turn off the heat and toss in the cilantro,, if you're using it, and serve at once with steamed rice.