Description
Crispy Chilli Beef is a flavorful and satisfying stir-fry dish featuring thinly sliced sirloin coated in a crispy cornflour batter, then tossed in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce made with soy, tomato puree, and chili. Perfectly balanced with crispy beef and a rich sauce, it’s a delicious and quick meal served best with rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef 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)
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 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 in the 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 thinly sliced sirloin strips in a bowl and add the small egg. Mix thoroughly to coat each strip with egg.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle in the cornflour, salt, black pepper, and white pepper. Toss everything together until the beef strips are evenly coated with a sticky mixture.
- Heat Oil: In a large frying pan or wok, heat 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil over high heat until very hot.
- Fry Beef in Batches: To retain crispiness, cook the beef in two batches. Add half the beef strips, spreading them out in the pan without overcrowding.
- Crisp the Beef: Fry the strips for about 5-6 minutes, stirring 3 or 4 times, until they turn dark brown and crispy. Avoid frequent stirring which can reduce crispiness.
- Drain the Beef: Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the cooked beef and place on kitchen paper-lined bowl to absorb excess oil.
- Repeat Frying: Add 1 tablespoon more oil to the pan and fry the second batch of beef strips, then transfer them to the same bowl.
- Sauté Onions: Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil, reduce heat to medium, and stir-fry the sliced onion for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add Aromatics: Stir in the sliced red chilli, minced ginger, and minced garlic. Cook and stir for about 30 seconds to release their flavors.
- Prepare Sauce: Pour in the rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, tomato puree, caster sugar, tomato ketchup, and sweet chilli sauce. Increase heat and let the sauce bubble for a couple of minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Combine Beef and Sauce: Return the crispy beef to the pan with the sauce. Stir well and heat through for 1-2 minutes until the beef is hot and well coated.
- Serve: Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- For more heat, keep the chilli seeds or add extra fresh chilli slices.
- Sirloin steak is best for tender, flavorful strips but you can substitute with flank or rump steak thinly sliced.
- Use sunflower oil or other neutral high smoke point oil to achieve crispiness.
- Prepare all ingredients before frying as the cooking process is quick.
- Working in batches ensures beef crisps properly instead of steaming.
- Adjust sugar and chilli sauce quantities to suit your preferred sweetness and spice levels.
