Beef crispy tangy savory (Printable)

Tender beef strips fried crisp then coated in a tangy, savory sauce with green onions.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 1.1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Marinade

02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch

→ Crispy Coating

06 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
07 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
11 - 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon honey
13 - 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (optional)
14 - 1 tablespoon water

→ Frying & Garnish

15 - Vegetable oil for deep frying
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# Steps:

01 - Combine beef strips with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Mix well and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
02 - In a shallow dish, blend cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and salt evenly.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F (180°C), sufficient for deep frying.
04 - Dredge the marinated beef strips in the dry coating mixture, shaking off excess.
05 - Fry beef strips in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, honey, chili garlic sauce (if using), and water in a small bowl.
07 - Discard excess oil, leaving 1 tablespoon in the pan. Return to medium heat and bring sauce to a simmer.
08 - Add crispy beef to the pan and toss gently, coating evenly with sauce for 1 to 2 minutes.
09 - Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef stays crispy even after hitting the sauce, which sounds impossible but tastes like magic.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes, leaving room for a proper side dish or just extra rice.
  • It works equally well as a hungry weeknight main or scaled down for impressing people at a gathering.
02 -
  • The marinade time is non-negotiable because it's what keeps the beef from drying out during the aggressive frying process.
  • If you're tempted to skip the paper towel step, don't—excess oil sitting on the beef makes the coating soggy within seconds.
  • The optional double-fry method really does work: after the first fry cools, a second 1-minute fry re-crisps the outside without overcooking the inside.
03 -
  • If your oil temperature drops during frying, wait for it to come back up before adding more beef—this is the single biggest reason batches turn out inconsistent.
  • Toasting your own sesame seeds by warming them in a dry pan for 2 minutes before garnishing intensifies their nuttiness and makes the final bite taste professional.

Go Back