Indulge in the comfort of an at-home fakeaway with this delicious and simple Lili Forberg recipe for shredded crispy chili beef.
“This is a dish we often ordered from the takeaway, but not since I started making it!” says author and recipe creator Lili Forberg.
“It’s quick, simple and full of flavour, perfect for busy weeknights when you’re craving something tasty but don’t have much time. You can cook the beef in the air fryer or pan fry it.”
Serves 4
Prep 20 mins
Cooking 20 mins
INGREDIENTS
For the sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar or any white vinegar
For the beef
500g beef, thinly sliced into strips – I love striploin or fillet
3 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
pinch of white pepper
oil, for frying or spraying
For the vegetables
1 tbsp oil
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
For the cornflour slurry
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 3 tbsp water
To garnish
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
sesame seeds
METHOD
1. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix the sliced beef with the cornflour, baking powder, five-spice, salt and peppers.
3. Air fryer: Lightly spray the basket with oil and preheat to 200°C. Place the beef strips in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes, shake, then add the sliced red pepper and onion. Cook for another 2–5 minutes, until the beef is crispy and the vegetables are slightly charred.
4. Pan: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over high heat. Fry the beef in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until crispy, then transfer to a plate. Add the red pepper and onion to the same pan and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, until slightly softened, then transfer to a plate.
5. If you’ve used an air fryer, pour the prepared sauce into a large pan. Otherwise, pour it into the pan you’ve fried the beef and vegetables in. Bring to a simmer. Stir in the slurry and cook for 2–3 minutes until thickened. Add the crispy beef and cooked vegetables, tossing to coat everything in the sauce.
6. Garnish with red chilli, spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice or noodles.
Tips:
• For extra crispiness, make sure the beef is sliced as thinly as possible before frying.
• Removing the seeds from the chilli will reduce the spice, or you can leave it out altogether.
