Description
A flavorful and crispy Chinese-style chilli beef recipe that you can easily make at home. Tender strips of sirloin steak are marinated, coated in cornflour, and fried to a perfect crisp, then tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce with fresh vegetables. Served over fluffy white rice and garnished with spring onions and sesame seeds, this dish delivers authentic takeaway taste with homemade goodness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 200 g sirloin steak, fat trimmed off
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 small egg
- 170 g cornflour
- 120 ml vegetable oil (for frying)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small carrot, cut into thin short sticks
- 1/2 red pepper, cut into thin short slices
- 25 g ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, sliced into thin rounds
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 5 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons runny honey
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Garnish and Serving
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- A pinch of sesame seeds
- 150 g white long grain rice (to serve)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Cut the sirloin steak into thin long strips. Place them in a bowl and add sesame oil, caster sugar, and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Mix well to combine and let it marinate while you prepare the other components.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate small bowl, combine tomato ketchup, honey, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth and set aside for later use.
- Prepare the Vegetables and Aromatics: Julienne the carrot and half of the red pepper. Finely chop the garlic and ginger, and slice the red chilli into thin rounds. Set these aside.
- Cook the Rice: Start boiling water and cook the white long grain rice according to the package instructions so it’s ready to serve alongside the beef.
- Coat the Beef: Crack the egg into the marinated beef and mix thoroughly to coat all pieces. Place the cornflour in a large mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the beef strips and mix with your hands until fully coated and no longer stuck together. Shake off any excess cornflour and arrange the coated strips on a clean plate.
- Fry the Beef: Heat 120 ml of vegetable oil in a small pan or wok until hot. Add one-third of the beef strips at a time and fry for about 3 minutes, until crispy and cooked through. Transfer cooked beef onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining beef in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan for optimal crispiness.
- Cook the Vegetables and Combine: Using a large frying pan or wok, heat a tablespoon of the reserved oil from frying the beef over high heat. Add the carrot, red pepper, ginger, garlic, and chilli and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a vigorous boil. Boil the sauce for 1 minute, then add the crispy beef strips back in and toss just enough to coat all the beef well in the sauce.
- Serve: Spoon the chilli beef and vegetables over a bed of steamed white rice. Garnish with sliced spring onion and a pinch of sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
- To ensure crispy beef, avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this lowers the oil temperature causing soggy strips.
- Use fresh ginger and garlic for the most vibrant flavor in the sauce and stir-fry.
- The sauce can be adjusted for heat by adding more or fewer chillies according to your preference.
- Leftover beef can be refrigerated for up to 2 days but is best enjoyed freshly cooked for maximum crispiness.
- Serve immediately with rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/2 recipe)
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
