Get your veggies in order. (The asparagus was a side dish. Disregard that). Season your meat with the spices, a clove of garlic and a 2 count of chilli oil. Go easy on the 5 spice, it can be overwhelming. A couple shakes goes a long way.
Bust out the Nian Gao and get some water boiling. Get a good handful and separate them so theyre not stuck together when boiling. Youre going to add that to the boiling water when you start stir frying your veggies.
Get some canola oil in your pan and add in the garlic, onion and peppers. Heat the veggies with a little salt and pepper. Once theyre good and fragrant, which will be fast, add in the beef. Let that cook for a minute and add a touch of soy sauce. By now, the nian gao should be floating. Add it into your pan and mix well.
Take a couple ladles of the nian gao water and add it into the stir fry. Mix. Add dissolved cornstarch and water to it and mix until the liquid has thickened.
Top with green onions and a little chilli oil. Serve with rice and your choice of sides.
