1 4cm thick piece of beef sirloin (about 400g)

2 onions 

350g Charlotte potatoes (any kind will do but Charlotte keep their shape)

150g carrots

8 shiitake mushrooms

1½  tablespoons grapeseed or other light-flavoured oil

450ml water

4 tablespoons soy sauce 

4 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 

5cm length of dried kombu

A few fine beans

1. Trim the beef of any fat and gristle. Cut in half widthways and then thinly slice each half into strips measuring roughly 4cm x 10cm. This is much easier if the beef is partly frozen. 

2. Peel and cut the onions in half lengthways and then lengthways again into thick slices. Peel the potatoes and cut into fairly large chunks.

3. Peel the carrot and cut into chunks. If you chop diagonally and rotate the carrot a quarter of a turn after each cut you will end up with an interesting shape (known as ran-giri, rolling wedges). Trim the shiitake mushrooms and cut into halves or quarters if large.

4. In a large wide pan heat the oil and add the beef, onions, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. Stir fry over a medium heat for a few minutes until the beef begins to brown. 

5. Add 450ml of water or enough to almost cover the ingredients, along with the soy sauce, sake, dark brown sugar and kombu and bring everything to a simmer. Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper with a small hole in the centre and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are cooked. If there is a lot of liquid remaining, remove the greaseproof paper and continue cooking over a medium heat to reduce. 

6. While the dish is simmering, blanch the beans in boiling water for a couple of minutes making sure they still retain a little bite, then drain and plunge them into cold water. Drain again and slice them lengthways. Serve in individual bowls with a few sliced beans scattered over.