Beijing Beef is a popular Chinese-American dish known for its sweet and tangy sauce coating tender strips of beef. Here’s a recipe to make Beijing Beef at home:
Ingredients:
For the Beef:
- 1 pound beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green bell pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced carrots (optional)
- 1/4 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
For the Sauce:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Instructions:
Marinate the Beef:
- In a bowl, combine the egg white, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper.
- Add the thinly sliced beef to the marinade and let it marinate for at least 20-30 minutes.
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, and sugar until well combined.
- In a separate small bowl, dissolve the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water to create a cornstarch slurry. Set it aside.
Fry the Beef:
- Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat for frying.
- Add the marinated beef slices to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until they are crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the fried beef slices with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables:
- Drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- Add minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add sliced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, and carrots (if using) to the skillet. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add pineapple chunks and stir-fry for another minute.
Combine Beef and Sauce:
- Return the fried beef slices to the skillet with the stir-fried vegetables.
- Pour the prepared sauce over the beef and vegetables.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the skillet to thicken the sauce.
- Stir everything together and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables.
Serve:
Serve your homemade Beijing Beef over steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy your sweet and tangy Beijing Beef!