Name: Szechuan Beef Stir Fry recipe
Ingredients: 1 pound (about 450g) Flank Steak or Sirloin Steak, sliced thinly against the grain (about 1/4 inch thick); 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce (Low Sodium recommended); 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine (or Dry Sherry); 1 tablespoon Cornstarch; 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil; 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper (optional); 1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce; 1/4 cup Beef Broth or Chicken Broth (or water); 2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine (or Dry Sherry); 1 tablespoon Doubanjiang (Fermented Chili Bean Paste – adjust to your spice preference); 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar (or Black Vinegar for more depth); 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar (or Brown Sugar); 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil; 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry); 3 tablespoons High-Heat Cooking Oil (like Peanut, Canola, Grapeseed, or Avocado Oil), divided; 4-6 Dried Red Chilies (like Tien Tsin), snipped in half (optional, for heat); 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced (about a 1-inch piece); 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon); 1 teaspoon Whole Szechuan Peppercorns, lightly toasted and ground (or 1/2 – 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorn oil, added at the end); 1 large Red Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 large Green Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 medium Yellow Onion, cut into 1-inch pieces; 4-6 Scallions (Green Onions), cut into 1-inch lengths (white and green parts separated); Toasted Sesame Seeds; Extra chopped Scallion Greens

Ingredients

Scale

- 1 pound (about 450g) Flank Steak or Sirloin Steak, sliced thinly against the grain (about 1/4 inch thick)

- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce (Low Sodium recommended)

- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine (or Dry Sherry)

- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch

- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

- 1/4 teaspoon White Pepper (optional)

For the Stir-Fry Sauce:

- 1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

- 1/4 cup Beef Broth or Chicken Broth (or water)

- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine (or Dry Sherry)

- 1 tablespoon Doubanjiang (Fermented Chili Bean Paste – adjust to your spice preference)

- 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar (or Black Vinegar for more depth)

- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar (or Brown Sugar)

- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry)

For the Stir-Fry:

- 3 tablespoons High-Heat Cooking Oil (like Peanut, Canola, Grapeseed, or Avocado Oil), divided

- 4–6 Dried Red Chilies (like Tien Tsin), snipped in half (optional, for heat)

- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced (about a 1-inch piece)

- 3–4 cloves Garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

- 1 teaspoon Whole Szechuan Peppercorns, lightly toasted and ground (or 1/2 – 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorn oil, added at the end)

- 1 large Red Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

- 1 large Green Bell Pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

- 1 medium Yellow Onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

- 4–6 Scallions (Green Onions), cut into 1-inch lengths (white and green parts separated)

For Garnish (Optional):

- Toasted Sesame Seeds

- Extra chopped Scallion Greens

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Instructions

1. Prepare and Marinate the Beef:
  - - Slice the beef very thinly (about 1/4 inch thick) against the grain. Partially freezing the beef for 20-30 minutes can make slicing easier.
  - - In a medium bowl, combine the sliced beef with the marinade ingredients: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sesame oil, and optional white pepper.
  - - Mix well, ensuring every piece of beef is coated. Let it marinate at room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes (or cover and refrigerate for up to an hour). The cornstarch helps create a velvety texture (velveting).

1. Prepare Vegetables and Aromatics:
  - - Wash, seed, and chop the bell peppers and onion into roughly 1-inch pieces.
  - - Mince the ginger and garlic.
  - - Cut the scallions into 1-inch lengths, keeping the white/light green parts separate from the dark green tops.
  - - If using whole Szechuan peppercorns, lightly toast them in a dry skillet over low heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Let cool slightly, then grind them using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
  - - If using dried red chilies, snip them in half (shake out seeds for less heat if desired).

1. Mix the Stir-Fry Sauce:
  - - In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch slurry: 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup broth, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp Doubanjiang, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set aside.
  - - In a separate tiny bowl, whisk together the 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. This slurry will be used to thicken the sauce later. Set aside.

1. Set Up Your Stir-Fry Station: Have the marinated beef, chopped vegetables, minced aromatics, dried chilies (if using), ground Szechuan peppercorns, prepared sauce, cornstarch slurry, and remaining cooking oil all within easy reach of your stove. Stir-frying moves quickly!

1. Sear the Beef:
  - - Heat a wok or large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until it’s smoking lightly.
  - - Add 1.5 tablespoons of the cooking oil and swirl to coat the bottom.
  - - Carefully add the marinated beef in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan, adding a bit more oil for the second batch).
  - - Spread the beef out and let it sear undisturbed for about 1 minute until browned on one side.
  - - Stir-fry briefly, just until the beef is mostly cooked through but still slightly pink in spots (it will finish cooking later).
  - - Quickly remove the beef from the wok/skillet and set aside on a clean plate.

1. Stir-Fry Aromatics and Chilies:
  - - Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of cooking oil to the hot wok/skillet.
  - - Add the minced ginger, minced garlic, and snipped dried red chilies (if using). Stir-fry constantly for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

1. Stir-Fry Vegetables:
  - - Add the chopped onions and bell peppers to the wok. Stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender (still slightly firm with bright colours).
  - - Add the white/light green parts of the scallions and the ground Szechuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds.

1. Combine and Sauce:
  - - Return the seared beef (and any accumulated juices) to the wok with the vegetables. Toss everything together quickly.
  - - Give the prepared stir-fry sauce mixture a quick stir (as ingredients may settle) and pour it into the wok around the edges.
  - - Bring the sauce to a vigorous simmer, stirring constantly.

1. Thicken the Sauce:
  - - Give the cornstarch slurry another quick whisk and pour it into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously.
  - - Continue to stir and cook for about 30-60 seconds, until the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency that coats the beef and vegetables. If using Szechuan peppercorn oil instead of ground peppercorns, stir it in now.

1. Finish and Serve:
  - - Stir in the dark green parts of the scallions.
  - - Remove the wok from the heat immediately.
  - - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (though it should be well-balanced).
  - - Transfer the Szechuan Beef Stir Fry to a serving platter. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and extra chopped scallion greens, if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 600-750 calories