Description
Crispy chili beef sparks culinary excitement with its perfect balance of crunch and spice. Sizzling strips of tender beef coated in a zesty sauce promise a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1.5 pounds steak (flank steak, top sirloin, or skirt, sliced against the grain)
Aromatics:
- 0.5 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger
- 1 to 2 fresh hot red chili peppers (thinly sliced)
- 3 green onions (thinly sliced)
Sauce and Coating Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup potato starch
- Neutral oil for frying
- 8 tablespoons honey
- 0.25 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry white wine or sake)
- 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Create a vibrant marinade by blending onion, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce into a smooth paste using a food processor.
- Thoroughly coat beef with the marinade, ensuring even coverage. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor infusion.
- Prepare a large skillet or wok with 2 inches of oil, heating to medium-high heat until oil shimmers and is ready for frying.
- Dust beef pieces generously with potato starch, massaging to create a complete, even coating that will yield maximum crispiness.
- Carefully lower beef strips into hot oil in small batches, preventing overcrowding. Fry each batch for approximately 4 minutes, rotating to achieve golden-brown coloration on all surfaces.
- Remove fried beef strips and drain on paper towel-lined plate to eliminate excess oil.
- Craft a complex sauce by combining honey, soy sauce, water, hoisin sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and vinegar in a mixing bowl.
- Clear previous oil from cooking vessel or use a fresh pan. Heat sauce mixture over medium-high temperature, stirring occasionally until it reaches a rolling boil.
- Simultaneously prepare a cornstarch slurry by whisking cornstarch with water until smooth.
- Once sauce boils, quickly incorporate cornstarch mixture, stirring continuously. The sauce will thicken within 30 seconds; remove from heat immediately.
- Quickly toss crispy beef into sauce, ensuring complete and uniform coating.
- Plate instantly, garnishing with fresh chili peppers, chopped scallions, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for enhanced visual appeal and flavor complexity.
Notes
- Marinate beef for maximum flavor by letting it sit in the mixture for at least 15-20 minutes, with overnight marinating delivering even more intense taste.
- Use potato starch instead of regular flour for an extra crispy coating that creates a light, airy texture when deep-fried.
- Ensure oil is at the right temperature (around 350-375°F) by using a kitchen thermometer to prevent soggy or burnt beef strips.
- Keep meat batches small when frying to maintain oil temperature and achieve perfectly golden, crisp exterior without overcrowding the pan.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 560 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg