Numbing and Fragrant Beef

Name: Numbing and Fragrant Beef
Yield: Serves 6 with 3 Other Dishes
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 350 g (12 oz) fillet or rump or flank (skirt) steak, trimmed and cut into rectangular pieces about 2 × 4 cm (¾ × 1½ in) and 8 mm (¾ in) thick; coriander stalks from 8 branches, cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths; 45 ml (3 tbsp) peanut or vegetable oil; 10 ml (2 tsp) finely chopped garlic; 15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame oil; 10 ml (2 tsp) mushroom soy sauce, or thick or dark soy sauce; 1.5 ml (¼ tsp) salt; 15 ml (1 tbsp) Shaoxing wine or medium dry sherry; 15 ml (1 tbsp) water; 5 ml (1 tsp) tapioca or potato flour; 5–10 ml (1–2 tsp) roasted ground Sichuan peppercorns; 1.5 ml (¼ tsp) five-spice powder; 5 ml (1 tsp) Shaoxing wine or medium dry sherry

Preparation info

Serves
6
with 3 Other Dishes

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Classic Food of China

By Yan-Kit So

Published 1992

About

With a title like this, it has got to be a Sichuan dish capitalising on the native Sichuan peppercorns, which leave a tantalisingly numbing effect on the tongue. For those who wish to have a heady dose of the sensation, use the larger amount listed below.

Ingredients

350 g (12 oz) fillet or rump or flank (skirt) steak, trimmed and cut into rectangular pieces about 2 × 4

Asia
China
Sichuan
Main course

Method

Marinate the beef. Put the beef into a bowl, add the salt, soy sauce, wine or sherry, Sichuan peppercorns, five-spice powder and tapioca or potato flour and stir to coat evenly. Add the water and stir vigorously until absorbed. Leave to stand for 15–20 minutes. Blend in the oil.
Heat a wok over a high heat until smoke rises. Add the oil and swirl it around several