Description
Crispy Chilli Beef is a flavorful and spicy stir-fry dish featuring tender beef sirloin coated in a crispy flour and cornstarch mixture, fried to golden perfection, then tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce with fresh bell peppers, garlic, and ginger. Garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, it’s a perfect quick and delicious meal for four.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Coating
- 1 pound beef sirloin, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Other
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Coating: In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper. Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together to ensure even seasoning. Coat the thinly sliced beef sirloin thoroughly in this dry mixture, setting them aside once each slice is well covered.
- Fry the Beef: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Carefully add the coated beef slices to the skillet and fry them in batches if necessary, to avoid overcrowding, until they turn crispy and golden brown, which should take about 3-4 minutes. Remove the fried beef slices and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves completely. Set this flavorful sauce aside for later use.
- Sauté Aromatics: Remove most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon for sautéing. Add the minced garlic and fresh ginger to the skillet and sauté over medium heat until fragrant, approximately 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Cook the Bell Peppers: Add the thinly sliced red and green bell peppers to the skillet with the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry the peppers until they become tender but still crisp, which usually takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Toss Beef with Sauce: Return the crispy fried beef to the skillet with the sautéed peppers. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the beef and vegetables, then toss everything together to coat evenly. Continue cooking and stirring for an additional 2-3 minutes so the beef is heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle the chopped green onions and sesame seeds over the top as a garnish. Serve the crispy chili beef hot, ideally over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra heat, add chopped fresh chili or a pinch of red chili flakes to the sauce mixture.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the pan when frying beef to maintain crispiness.
- You can substitute beef sirloin with other tender cuts like ribeye or flank steak.
- This dish is best served immediately to retain the crisp texture of the beef.
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying, such as vegetable or canola oil.
