Szechuan Beef
Szechuan beef is clearly one of my favorite Chinese dishes - and for good reason. It combines several key criteria that define an outstanding meal: intense heat, aromatic depth, crisp freshness, and quick preparation. The combination of tender beef, fresh vegetables such as bell peppers and spring onions, along with the characteristic Szechuan sauce, creates a well-balanced interplay of spiciness, umami, and subtle acidity.
Send shopping list to Bring!Preparation
1. Marinate the meat
- 160gBeef round
- 1pcEgg whites
- 1tbSoy sauce
- 1tbChinese cooking wine
- 1tbToasted sesame oil
- 1tsChili flakes
- 1tsChili oil
- 2tbCornstarch
- 3pnSalt
- 2pnPepper (freshly grounded)
Slice the beef round into thin, fine strips and place them in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
2. Prepare the sauce
- 1tbSoy sauce
- 1tbDark soy sauce (sweet soy sauce)
- 1tbOyster sauce
- 1tbSugar
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside.
3. Prepare the vegetables
- 1pcCarrots
- 1pcGreen bell pepper
- 1pcSpring onions
- 3pcGarlic (fresh)
- 30gGinger (fresh)
Peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips (2 x 2 mm | 0.08 in), then set aside separately. Wash the bell peppers and cut them into strips 5 mm | ⅕ in wide, then set aside separately. Coarsely chop the green part of the scallion and set aside separately. Cut a few thin rings from the white part of the scallion for garnish. Peel the garlic, remove the sprouts, and slice thinly. Peel the ginger and cut into 1 x 1 mm | 0.04 in thin strips, then set aside with the garlic.
4. Prepare the Szechuan Beef
- 5tbNutural oil
- 8pcSpring onion rings
- 2dsWater
Pour half of the oil into a frying pan and heat it to a high temperature (heat setting 8/9). When the oil reaches its smoke point, add the marinated beef round to the pan and sear for 1 to 2 minutes. Then transfer the beef round to a bowl, cover it, and set it aside. Add the remaining oil to the same frying pan and reduce the heat to level 6/9. Sear the garlic and ginger briefly, then add the carrots. Add water to steam the vegetables. Next, add the bell peppers and, if necessary, add a little more water (not too much). When the vegetables are half-cooked, add the sauce and the green parts of the scallions and toss everything a few times. Then add the seared beef, heat through briefly, serve, and garnish with thin rings of scallion.
