Beijing-Style Crispy Beef Stir-Fry

1. Prepare Beef

Slice the flank steak into strips that are 3 inches long, 0.25 inch wide, and thick, cutting across the grain to ensure tenderness. Combine the beef strips with 0.75 teaspoons sugar, 0.5 teaspoons baking soda, and 0.25 teaspoons salt. Coat the beef thoroughly with this mixture, cover it, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Coat Beef

After the beef has marinated, add 1 tablespoon lightly beaten egg white and 2 tablespoons cornstarch to the beef, mixing well. Let the beef rest for 10 minutes.

3. Deep-Fry Beef

Heat 3.5 cups of peanut oil in a wok over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the coated beef and deep-fry for about 3 minutes until it reaches a medium brown color. Remove the beef and drain it on paper towels. Reheat the oil and deep-fry the beef again for another 3 minutes. Remove and drain the beef once more.

4. Stir-Fry Aromatics

Pour off most of the oil from the wok, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons minced ginger and 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Stir these aromatics for about 15 seconds until fragrant, then add 1.5 tablespoons Sichuan Peppercorn Paste and stir for another minute.

5. Stir-Fry Vegetables

Add 0.5 cup shredded carrots and 0.67 cup julienned white scallions to the wok. Stir-fry the vegetables for about 30 seconds each.

6. Combine Beef and Sauce

Return the crispy beef to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon hot bean sauce, 1 tablespoon sweet bean sauce, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 0.5 teaspoon hot pepper oil. Stir-fry everything together for an additional 1.5 minutes.

7. Serve

Turn off the heat, transfer the stir-fry to a heated platter, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons finely sliced green scallions. Serve immediately with Beijing Baked Breads.