Kung Pao Beef with Velveted Flank Steak

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Sizzling chiles, toasted peanuts and a glossy sweet-tart kung pao sauce, built around flank steak that's been baking-soda tenderized and seared in one hot, undisturbed layer. The sauce is premixed so the whole stir-fry comes together in under five minutes at the stove.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb flank steak
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp neutral oil

• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup unsalted chicken or beef broth
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 3 tbsp peanut or other high-smoke-point oil, divided
• 10 dried red chiles (Tianjin or chile de árbol), halved, seeds shaken out
• 1 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch squares
• 4 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch on the bias
• 3/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 4 scallions, white and green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
• Steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Freeze the flank steak for 15 minutes to firm it up, then find the direction of the muscle fibers. Slice the steak with the knife angled about 45 degrees, cutting ACROSS the grain into pieces roughly 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide. Cutting against the grain is the single biggest factor in tender kung pao beef.
2. Tenderize: In a bowl, dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon water, add the beef and toss with your hands for 30 seconds until every piece is coated. Rest 20 minutes at room temperature. Rinse the beef under cold water for 20 seconds, drain well, and pat very dry with paper towels — leftover baking soda tastes soapy.
3. Velvet: Return the dried beef to the bowl and add the Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Massage until the cornstarch disappears into a light slurry coating, then stir in 2 teaspoons neutral oil (this keeps the slices from clumping in the pan). Let sit while you prep everything else, at least 10 minutes.
4. Premix the sauce: In a measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, hoisin, cornstarch, broth, and sesame oil until no cornstarch lumps remain. Set it right next to the stove — once you start cooking there is no time to measure.
5. Prep and stage all remaining ingredients in bowls beside the stove: chiles and Sichuan peppercorns together; garlic and ginger together; bell pepper and celery together; peanuts; scallions. Stir-frying moves fast.
6. Heat a 12-inch carbon steel skillet, cast iron pan, or flat-bottomed wok over high heat for 2 minutes until a drop of water vaporizes instantly. Add 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil and swirl. Lay HALF the beef into the pan in a single layer, spreading the pieces so none overlap, and do not touch it for 60 to 75 seconds, until the underside is deeply browned. Flip and cook 30 seconds more, then transfer to a plate. It will not be fully cooked through.
7. Add 1 more teaspoon oil if the pan looks dry and sear the second half of the beef the same way, in a single layer. Transfer to the plate with the first batch.
8. Reduce heat to medium-high, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns. Toss constantly for 20 to 30 seconds, just until the chiles darken a shade and smell toasty — turn on your vent, and pull them out if they blacken.
9. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry 20 seconds, then add the bell pepper and celery. Raise the heat back to high and stir-fry 2 minutes, until the vegetables are blistered in spots but still crisp.
10. Whisk the premixed sauce once more (the cornstarch settles) and pour it around the edge of the pan. It should bubble immediately. Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds until the sauce thickens into a glaze that clings to a spoon.
11. Return the beef and any collected juices to the pan along with the peanuts and scallions. Toss for 45 seconds until the beef is coated and just cooked through. Taste and add a splash of black vinegar for brightness or a pinch of sugar if it's too sharp. Serve immediately over jasmine rice.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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