Description
This Crispy Chilli Beef recipe features thin-cut sirloin steaks coated in a crispy cornflour crust and tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. Quick to prepare and cook, it delivers a perfect balance of flavors and textures, ideal for serving with rice or noodles for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Beef and Coating
- 360 g (¾ lbs) thin-cut sirloin steaks (approx 3 thin steaks) cut into thin strips
- 1 small egg
- 4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 4 ½ tbsp sunflower oil (divided)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced (seeds discarded if less heat preferred)
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste for US)
- 6 tbsp caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (Thai-style recommended)
Instructions
- Coat the beef: Place the thin steak strips in a bowl, add the egg, and mix well to coat all the beef evenly in the egg.
- Prepare the coating: Add cornflour, salt, black pepper, and white pepper to the bowl, then toss everything together to form a sticky coating on the beef strips.
- Heat the oil: Heat 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat until very hot, ready for frying.
- Fry the beef in batches: Work in two batches; add half the beef to the hot oil strip by strip and spread out. Fry without moving too much for about 5-6 minutes, stirring 3-4 times, until dark brown and crispy.
- Drain excess oil: Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the crispy beef and place it on kitchen paper-lined bowl to absorb excess oil.
- Repeat frying: Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan, fry the remaining beef in the same manner, then drain and set aside with the first batch.
- Sauté onion: Add the last ½ tablespoon of oil to the pan, reduce heat to medium, and cook the sliced onion for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add aromatic ingredients: Stir in the sliced chilli, minced ginger, and garlic, cooking while stirring for about 30 seconds to release the flavors.
- Prepare the sauce: Add rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, tomato puree, caster sugar, tomato ketchup, and sweet chilli sauce to the pan; increase the heat to bring the sauce to a bubble and reduce slightly for about 2 minutes.
- Combine beef and sauce: Return the crispy beef to the pan, stir well to coat in the sauce, and heat through for 1-2 minutes until hot.
- Serve: Serve the crispy chilli beef hot with steamed rice or noodles as preferred.
Notes
- For less heat, discard the seeds from the red chilli before slicing.
- If sirloin steaks are unavailable, use another tender, thin-cut beef cut.
- Ensure the oil is very hot before frying to get maximum crispiness on the beef.
- Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan which causes sogginess.
- This dish pairs excellently with jasmine rice or egg noodles.
