Chinese · Sichuan · main

Crispy Szechuan Beef

Crispy Szechuan Beef reads umami 7.6, richness 6.4 and salinity 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese · Sichuan main, about 34 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Richness 6.4 · Salinity 5.1 · Sweetness 4.4 · Allium 3.6 · Nutty 3.6 · Sourness 3.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Heat 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Fruity 1.2 · Earthy 1.2 · Floral 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (16)

• flank steak — 454 g
• cornstarch — 44 g
• soy sauce — 30 g
• shaoxing wine — 15 g
• vegetable oil — 435 g
• carrots — 120 g
• celery — 120 g
• chiles — 50 g
• peppercorns — 5 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• scallions — 300 g
• granulated sugar — 25 g
• rice wine vinegar — 11 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• salt — 3 g

Time & effort: about 34 min (13 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 134.7 kcal, 8 g protein, 8 g fat, 7.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Toss the beef with 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and the Shaoxing wine; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
2. Toss the marinated beef with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch until every piece is evenly and lightly coated.
3. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pot to 325 degrees F. Fry the beef in two batches, spreading the pieces apart as they go in, until pale golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per batch. Drain on a paper-towel-lined plate and let rest 5 minutes.
4. Return the oil to 375 degrees F. Fry the beef again, in the same two batches, until deeply golden and audibly crackling-crisp at the edges, 1-2 minutes per batch; drain.
5. Carefully pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the carrots and celery and stir-fry over high heat until crisp-tender and lightly blistered at the edges, 2-3 minutes; transfer to a bowl and set aside.
6. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns to the residual oil and toast, stirring constantly, until the chiles darken slightly and turn fragrant, 30-45 seconds; watch closely so they don't scorch.
7. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Return the beef and the carrots and celery to the wok. Add the sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, rice vinegar, and salt; toss over high heat until everything is glazed and heated through, 1-2 minutes.
9. Off the heat, drizzle with the sesame oil and scatter the scallion greens over top; toss once more and serve immediately over rice while still crackling-crisp.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sheet-Pan Sweet Chili Glazed Meatballs and Vegetables — Fusion
• Skillet Kung Pao Chicken — Chinese-American
• Hunan Chicken — Chinese · Hunan
• Korean BBQ Meatballs — Korean
• Gochujang Tofu Stir-Fry — Korean

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.