Hunan Beef Recipe
Huanan Beef
AKA Xiāngcài Niúròu
Take-away Style Hunan Beef Stir Fry
Submitted By: Taz
Ingredients:
1 lb Beef Flank Steak (Cè Fù Niúpái) - sliced thin
1 Cup Chinese Celery (Qín Cài) - cut on diagonal into 1 inch pieces
2-4 Fresh Long Red Chiles (Hóng Làjiāo)* - cut into 'rings'
2-4 Fresh Long Green Chiles (Qīng Làjiāo)** - cut into 'rings'
¾ Cup Pickled Yellow Chile Peppers (Xiǎomǐ Jiāo)*** - cut into 'rings'
4 cloves Fresh Garlic (Dàsuàn) - small chopped
¾ inch piece Fresh Ginger (Jiāng) - small chopped
¼ Cup Peanut Oil (Huāshēngyóu)
2 Tbs Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
Marinade:
2 Tbs Potato Starch (Mǎlíngshǔ Diànfěn)
2 Tbs Shao Xing Rice Wine (Liàojiǔ)
2 Tbs Light Soy Sauce (Shēng Chōu)
1 Tbs Dark Soy Sauce (Lǎo Chōu)
1 Tbs Water
1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Háoyóu)
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil (Zhīmayóu)
⅛ tsp Ground White Pepper (Bái Hújiāo) or to taste
Preparation:
- Place your beef in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to 'firm up' (this makes it easier to slice very thin) - Once 'firm', slice across the grain into apx ¼ inch thick 'ribbons'
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the 'marinade' ingredients until thoroughly combined - Add your sliced beef and mix well to thoroughly coat - Loosely cover and allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes
- Once the beef has marinated, heat the peanut oil in a wok or large pot over high heat until hot (apx 300ºF) - Once the oil is hot, add the beef (SAVE REMAINING MARINADE) and allow to cook (stirring and flipping gently) until browned (apx 1 minute) - Remove from heat and using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate lined with absorbent paper - Set aside until needed
- Return wok to the heat and add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 20 seconds - Add the celery to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds - Add all of the peppers to the wok and stir fry until fragrant (apx 1 minute) - Return the beef to the wok and add the soy sauce and remaining marinade - Stir fry to thoroughly combine - Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with some sliced green onion, and serve immediately alongside steamed rice
*
You can use Long Red Chiles, Cayenne Peppers, or Holland Red Chiles for this but Red Jalapeños
work in a pinch - Use those that are available and the heat level you can handle
**
You can use Long Green Chiles, Shishito Peppers, or Banana Peppers but Anaheim Peppers, Hatch
Chiles, or Serrano Peppers work as well - Use those that are available and the heat level you can
handle
***
Pickled Yellow Chile Peppers
(Xiǎomǐ Jiāo) or Sichuan Green Pickled Peppers
(Pao Jiāo) may be
difficult to find even in a well stocked Asian market - If unavailable, substitute pickled banana
peppers, additional fresh green chiles (and add 2 Tbs of rice wine vinegar when adding the soy sauce
at the end), or even pepperoncini peppers if you wish
