Shuizhu niurou (Spicy Water-boiled Beef) is a traditional Chinese recipe (from the Sichuan province) for a classic dish of thinly-sliced beef boiled in a chicken stock base with hot bean paste that's served on a bed of celery and spring onions and topped with fried chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Chinese version of: Spicy Water-boiled Beef (Shuizhu niurou).
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Ingredients:
4 celery sticks
6 spring onions (white parts only)
500g flank steak (sliced thinly against the grain)
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp yellow rice wine
5 tbsp groundnut oil
10 dried red chillies
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
3 tbsp hot bean paste
750ml chicken stock
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tsp cornflour, mixed to a slurry in 3 tbsp water
Method:
Whisk together the rice wine and salt. Rub this all over the beef slices then set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, slice the celery and spring onions at a bias (diagonally) into 3cm lengths. Heat 2 tbsp of the groundnut oil in a wok. When the oil is just smoking add the chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. Fry until the chillies begin to blister (about 2 minutes). Immediately remove the spices with a slotted spoon and set aside.
As soon as the chillies have cooled enough to be handled, roughly chop them and set aside again.
Re-heat the wok and use the oil still in it to stir-fry the celery and spring onions until just cooked (about 2 minutes). Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp sea salt then turn out onto a serving dish.
Add the more to the wok, if needed, and over medium heat stir-fry the hot bean paste for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Now stir in the chicken stock and soy sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
Add the cornflour slurry to the beef mixture and turn the slices in this until well covered. Drop the beef slices into the simmering stock mixture in the wok and cook until the beef is just done through (about 90 seconds.
Now spoon the beef slices and the sauce over the vegetables in the serving dish. Sprinkle over the chopped chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. Now add 2 tbsp oil to the wok and heat until just smoking. Pour this over the beef so that the meat sizzles and serve immediately, accompanied by rice.
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