Kung Pao Beef
Submitted by keylime
Kung Pao beef: velveted flank steak stir-fried with roasted peanuts, fiery dried chilies, and crunchy water chestnuts in a savory-sweet Sichuan sauce. A bold, spicy take on takeout, ready in 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minBold, spicy, and studded with peanuts, this Kung Pao beef brings Sichuan takeout home with more punch than any delivery box. Velveting is the first secret: the flank steak gets coated in egg white, cornstarch, and salt, which locks in moisture and gives the beef that signature silky, tender bite after a fast stir-fry.
The heat comes from whole dried red chilies, fried in hot oil until they turn dark red, infusing the dish with a deep, smoky burn, and easy to fish out if you like it milder.
The sauce balances it all: savory soy, a little sherry and rice vinegar for tang, sugar to round it out, and chili paste for an extra kick, thickened with cornstarch to coat every piece.
Roasted peanuts and water chestnuts add the crunch this dish is known for. Use tamari instead of the soy and it is gluten-free. Serve it over steamed rice.
Chef Tips
- Velvet the beef in egg white and cornstarch and let it sit; this keeps it tender and silky through the high-heat stir-fry.
- Fry the dried chilies just until dark red, not black, since burnt chilies turn bitter.
- Have everything prepped and the sauce premixed before you start, because stir-frying moves fast.
- Cook the beef in a hot wok in batches if needed so it sears instead of steaming.
Variations
- Use chicken, pork, or shrimp in place of beef.
- Adjust the dried chilies up or down for your heat tolerance.
- Add diced celery or zucchini along with the bell pepper.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine beef, salt, egg white, and cornstarch.
Mix well by hand and set aside.
In a small bowl, blend all sauce ingredients.
Set aside.
Add two tablespoons oil to heated wok and stir fry beef until it loses its pink color.
Remove to serving bowl.
Add two more tablespoons oil to same wok.
Toss peanuts and chili peppers in the wok and stir fry until peppers turn dark red.
Remove from wok and add to beef.
Lower heat.
If necessary, add more oil.
Stir fry green onions and garlic for several seconds.
(Do not let garlic burn.)
Return beef, peanuts and peppers to wok and stir fry a few seconds to combine.
Add water chestnuts and combined sauce ingredients and stir fry until heated through and thickened.
Comments
