This intensely flavoured restaurant-style dish will have your taste buds tingling with pleasure. It also adds drama to the table when served in a sizzling skillet fragrant with onions. If you like heat, the whole chilies can be eaten. Serve with hot cooked rice.
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Hunan-Style Sizzling Chili Beef Stir-Fry
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 1x
Ingredients
¾ lb (375 g) Beef Stir-Fry Strips
2 tsp (10 mL) light soy sauce
½ tsp (2 mL) salt, divided
Peanut or canola oil
½ cup (125 mL) dried facing heaven chili peppers (chao tian jiao) or another medium-hot dried pepper
¼ cup (60 mL) cornstarch, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) minced gingerroot
4 tsp (20 mL) coarsely ground cumin seeds, see Tip*
2 tsp (10 mL) Sichuan chili flakes or Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs (coarse stems removed, sprigs cut into 2-inch/5 cm pieces)
1 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
Instructions
- Combine the beef, soy sauce, ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt and 2 tsp (10 mL) of the oil in a bowl, mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Wearing protective gloves, trim the tops off the chilis with scissors and remove the seeds by rolling the chili between your thumb and forefinger and shaking out the seeds. Discard seeds. Set chilies aside.
- Drain any accumulated liquid from the beef; discard. Add cornstarch, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, mixing well between each addition, until all the beef pieces are coated well.
- Assemble all of the ingredients near the cooking area. Set a large sieve or colander over a bowl and wire skimmer or slotted spoon by the stovetop. Set kitchen fat to HIGH. Heat ½ inch (1 cm) oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet to 350ºF (180ºC). Add beef strips, in batches, spreading out in a single layer without touching each other. Fry for about 2 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Remove with the skimmer to the sieve to drain. Repeat with remaining beef, adjusting heat as necessary between batches. Set beef aside in sieve. Discard any liquid from bowl.
- Place a cast-iron skillet, cast-iron platter or other heavy skillet over high heat for serving the stir-fry (it should be smoking when you place the stir-fry on it).
- Heat a 14- to 16-inch (35 to 40 cm) wok or heavy skillet over high heat until it smokes. Turn off heat and swirl in 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil. Return heat to low; add chili peppers and stir-fry for about 30 to 60 seconds, until slightly darkened. Remove with the skimmer and add to the sieve with beef. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil to the wok; stir in garlic and gingerroot, then add beef and chili peppers. Stir-fry to combine; sprinkle with cumin, chili flakes and remaining ¼ tsp (1 mL) salt. Stir-fry just until beef mixture is coated with spices. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
- Scatter the sliced onion over hot cast-iron skillet; immediately remove from heat. Arrange the stir-fry over the onions and serve immediately in the skillet placed on a trivet at the table.
Notes
Facing heaven chili peppers, named for their upward-facing position on the plant, are a variety of capsicum annuum peppers widely cultivated in China, particularly in the Sichuan province. These chilies are renowned for their vibrant red color and moderate heat level.
Tip* For best results, coarsely grind the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, leaving some large pieces of seeds visibly apparent.
