Kung Pao Beef
In Chinese, the term kung pao means "palace guardian." This dish was named after Ding Baozhen, who was a governor of the Sichuan Province. True to its roots, kung pao is a spicy dish with sweet and sour flavors.
⏱️ Prep: 10 min🍳 Cook: 10 min
Ingredients
| 1 pound | 455 g | sirloin strip steak, thinly sliced |
| 4 tablespoons | 60 ml | cornstarch, divided |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | sugar |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | soy sauce |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | ground Sichuan peppercorns |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | vegetable oil |
| 3 tablespoons | 45 ml | crushed and chopped fresh ginger |
| 2 | garlic cloves, crushed and chopped | |
| 1 | red bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch pieces | |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | rice vinegar |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | rice wine |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | hot sesame oil |
| 1 bunch | scallions (6 to 8), cut into 1/2-inch pieces | |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | Guilin chili paste |
| — | Steamed rice, for serving |
Instructions
- Seal the steak, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and peppercorns in a large zip-top bag. Massage for 2 minutes.
- In a wok or large cast iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high heat until it shimmers. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until lightly browned.
- Add the marinated steak and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the bell pepper, chili paste, vinegar, rice wine, and sesame oil and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and mix for about 2 minutes, until a glaze forms.
- Serve over steamed rice.
HEAT CHECK: Use more or less chili paste and hot sesame oil to regulate the heat.