Description
This Hot and Spicy Beef recipe features tender flank steak strips cooked quickly with dried chili peppers and a flavorful savory-sweet sauce. The dish balances heat, umami, and subtle sweetness, making it a vibrant stir-fry perfect for a quick weeknight meal that serves four.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 1-1.5 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced into 2-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 8 dried chili peppers
- 2-3 green onions, chopped into 1-inch pieces, divided
Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon flour (or gluten-free flour)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, coconut sugar, white wine vinegar, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, and ground ginger until thoroughly combined. Set this sauce mixture aside.
- Brown the beef: Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the flank steak strips in a single layer, cooking until browned on each side to develop a good sear and enhance flavor.
- Add dried chili peppers: Introduce the dried chili peppers to the skillet and stir-fry together with the beef for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the heat and aroma of the peppers to infuse the dish.
- Thicken the sauce: Whisk the flour into the prepared sauce mixture until smooth. Pour this sauce into the skillet with the beef and chili peppers, stirring to combine.
- Simmer the mixture: Bring the contents of the skillet to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to coat the beef nicely.
- Finish with green onions and serve: Stir in most of the chopped green onions, reserving some for garnish. Remove the skillet from heat and immediately serve the hot and spicy beef garnished with the remaining green onions.
Notes
- For a gluten-free option, substitute flour with gluten-free flour and use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Adjust the number of dried chili peppers to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Flank steak should be sliced thinly across the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Serve this dish with steamed rice or noodles to balance the spiciness.
