Partially freeze beef; cut on the bias into thin bite-size strips. For marinade, stir together water, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, crushed peppercorns, and ginger. Stir in onion, lemon slices, cloves, and bay leaf. Add beef, stirring to coat well. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard lemon slices, cloves and bay leaf. Drain beef and onion, reserving marinade. Stir gingersnaps into reserved marinade. Set aside. Preheat a wok or large skillet over high heat; add cooking oil. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Stir fry carrots in hot oil for 2 minutes. Add celery; stir fry about 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok or skillet. Add half of the beef and onion mixture to the hot wok or skillet. Stir-fry about 3 minutes or until done. Remove mixture. Stir-fry remaining beef and onion mixture about 3 minutes. Return all beef to the wok. Push from center of the wok. Stir marinade mixture; add to center of wok or skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to the wok or skillet; stir ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Serve immediately over hot cooked noodles or spaetzle. Makes 4 servings.