Spicy beef from Chinese restaurants

For 2 € 2.10 /pers. 267 kcal/100g

How to make spicy beef just like Chinese restaurants .

This recipe is a reproduction of the spicy beef that they serve in Chinese restaurants and that we love to order whenever we visit them. Since there are days when we want to eat it and we don’t have the opportunity to go out, we have decided to prepare it at home and have a Chinese-style feast.

As the name suggests, this is a spicy dish . If you are one of those who die of pleasure feeling a certain burning in your mouth with each bite, then this recipe is for you. If this is not the case, you can always adjust the spiciness by reducing the amount of Tabasco or hot sauce that we indicate in the ingredients or simply not using it. In this case the recipe will not be the same, but it will be equally delicious.

As you will see in the development of the recipe, we only add salt to the meat at the beginning of it. It is not a mistake, but a way to compensate for how strong soy sauce is due to its high salt content. We really like soy sauce and often use more than what is indicated in the ingredients. When this happens we do not season the meat, although we test the seasoning at the end and adjust it if necessary. It is always better to fall short than to go overboard. The latter has no solution.

Chinese-style spicy beef is great to share with friends as part of an oriental meal , along with others like spring rolls and fried rice three delights.

In China, it is typical for each diner to have their own bowl of cooked rice and the rest of the dishes are placed in the center of the table from where they are shared among everyone. You can accompany your menu or informal dinner with another recipe, such as beef with peppers or sweet and sour pork . I leave you with one of the classics of Chinese food in the West, after rice three delicacies , spring roll  , chicken  with almonds or chop suey . The diners take with their chopsticks the amount they are going to eat of each preparation, something that is very reminiscent of Spanish tapas and that fosters a relaxed and fun atmosphere that invites total enjoyment.  

Preparation of the beef

1. We marinate the meat so that it acquires an extra point of flavor and the result is very tasty. Cut the beef fillets into strips approximately 1 cm thick and season with salt and pepper. In a deep container, mix with 50 ml of soy sauce, the garlic clove (peeled and chopped) and a teaspoon of Tabasco.
2. We cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the refrigerator for an hour. While the meat is marinating, prepare the sauce, vegetables and thickener.

Preparation of the sauce, vegetables and thickener

1. The sauce. In a large enough bowl, mix the remaining 100 ml of soy sauce, the sugar, the sherry vinegar and the second teaspoon of Tabasco.
2. Vegetables. We wash the peppers well and cut them into strips approximately 1 cm thick, making sure that they are all of the same size so that they cook equally. Peel the onion and cut it into strips the same size as the peppers.
3. The thickener. In a small glass, mix a little water (approximately 50 ml), add the fine corn flour and stir well until diluted.

Preparation of spicy beef and final presentation

1. Once the marinating time has elapsed, drain the meat and reserve the marinade.
2. Heat a little vegetable oil in a large frying pan and sauté the meat over very high heat. We don’t want to cook it but rather seal it so that it retains the juices, so as soon as it stops looking raw we remove it and set aside.
3. Add a little more vegetable oil to the pan and sauté the chopped vegetables over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. We add the beef, the sauce and the thickener and let it cook over heat for 2 or 3 more minutes and it is ready to serve accompanied by rice , noodles or as is.

Follow all the steps of this spicy beef recipe from Chinese restaurants in the album.

Tips for delicious spicy beef

• So that the meat is not tough and loses its juiciness, it is important not to overdo the cooking point , so do not be tempted to increase the minutes indicated because you can ruin the result.
• If you are not very fond of spicy food, you can do without the Tabasco in the sauce, since a teaspoon of the meat marinade will be enough. On the contrary, if you like it very spicy, add the amount of Tabasco you want at this moment. Matter of taste.
• We can prepare the spicy beef in a wok . The result will be better than cooking in a pan because the wok allows you to remove the vegetables from the center by placing them on the sides of the container. This cuts their cooking time, but keeps them warm while the meat is cooked a final stage. With this the vegetables will be al dente and very crispy, as they should be with this dish.
• We serve hot and sprinkled with sesame seeds , accompanied by a bowl of rice and/or other Chinese dishes if we want to create a themed meal.