Description
Peking-style Beef is a quick and savory stir-fried dish featuring minced beef cooked with a flavorful blend of hoisin, soy sauces, garlic, and ginger. The dish is finished with crisp cucumber ribbons, spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a drizzle of fragrant sesame oil, served over steamed jasmine rice for a delicious Chinese-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice (optional)
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp light olive oil (or any neutral oil of choice)
- 500 g (1 lb) regular minced (ground) beef (not extra-lean)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water
Serving Ingredients
- Steamed jasmine rice
- 2 cucumbers, peeled into ribbons (for extra-crisp cucumbers, see note 1)
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a jug or small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, all-purpose soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and optional Chinese five-spice. Set this flavorful sauce mixture aside while you prepare the beef.
- Cook the beef: Heat the light olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan over high heat. Add the minced beef to the pan. Without stirring, let it cook undisturbed for 5–6 minutes until it browns and develops some crispy edges. Then flip the beef, breaking it apart further with your spatula, and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fully cooked through.
- Add the garlic and ginger: Stir in the freshly minced garlic and grated ginger with the beef. Cook together for about 30 seconds to release their aromas and flavor.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked beef and reduce the heat slightly to let it simmer for 1–2 minutes, allowing the beef to become well coated in the sauce.
- Thicken the sauce: Stir in the cornflour and water mixture gradually. Continue cooking for 30–60 seconds until the sauce thickens and clings nicely to the beef pieces.
- Serve: Spoon the rich, savory Peking-style beef over steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with cucumber ribbons, sliced spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a final drizzle of fragrant sesame oil for a fresh finishing touch.
Notes
- For extra-crisp cucumber ribbons, peel the cucumber with a vegetable peeler and place them in ice water for 10 minutes before serving.
- You can substitute the light olive oil with any neutral oil such as vegetable or canola oil.
- Ensure to break up the beef during cooking to achieve maximum browning and crispy texture.
- Adjust seasoning according to taste, especially if you prefer it sweeter or more tangy by tweaking the brown sugar and vinegar ratios.
- This dish pairs perfectly with steamed jasmine rice but can also be served with noodles or flatbreads for variation.
