Chinese Shredded Crispy Chilli Beef Fakeaway

Crispy chilli beef, fried steak coated in a spicy, sweet and sticky sauce is one of the most popular dishes in a British Chinese takeaway.

My fakeaway version of this dish will go from your fridge to your table in under 30 minutes making it quicker than your local delivery driver and save you a few quid too!

Chinese Takeaway Style Sticky Chilli Beef

Spending 13 years living in rural Central Europe gave me plenty of time and motivation to work on my Chinese fakeaway recipes… and this crispy chilli beef recipe is one of many that appear on my website!

I have everything from Chinese spare ribs and kung po prawns to Chinese chicken curry and sweet and sour pork balls to duck chow mein and Chinese beef curry.

This spice stick beef recipe is one of my favourites and the one that my wife requests most often.

Beef fried in cornflour and Szechuan pepper and then tossed through stir-fried peppers in a sticky, smoky and spicy sauce.

The spice comes from crispy chilli oil, I use the Lao Gan Ma brand and it is magic stuff!

It’s a nice quick cook recipe, coming together in under 30 minutes and that includes all the preparation. It is not only quicker than your local delivery service, but also a boatload cheaper too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sort of beef should I use?

I like to use sirloin or rump steak for this recipe, both are fairly lean and have good flavour, but you could use flank/skirt/bavette steak, this will be a little tougher.

The most important thing about the beef is “shredding” it thinly, but also so that the pieces are relatively uniform in size and shape.

Do I have to use a wok?

No, you could use a large (30cm or 12″) nonstick frying pan. You will need to have the oil at a shallower level than in a wok and as a result, you may need to fry the beef in more batches.

What do you use to monitor the oil temperature?

As you can see in the video below the recipe, I use a sugar thermometer, which is another great reason to use a wok rather than a shallow frying pan.

What is cornflour?

A question often asked by US and Canadian visitors to my corner of the internet. Cornflour is the name that us Brits use for what you guys call corn starch.

Can I make this in advance?

The sauce can be made hours, even days in advance, but the beef needs to be cooked and served immediately.

Can I substitute Szechuan peppercorn for normal pepper?

No, Szechuan pepper is unique and it is not even a pepper, but the “fruit” of a shrub. It is delicious and has an almost fizzy and numbing flavour.

Don’t worry about it languishing around the cupboard, I use it in countless Chinese fakeaway recipes, everything from dan dan noodles to my pork noodle stir fry.

Serving Suggestions

I have served my sticky crispy chilli beef with egg-fried rice in these pictures.

It does require a little planning and some “double wok” work, I tend to make the rice first and keep it warm in a low oven, and reheat it in a nonstick frying pan just before serving.

But plain rice is superb with this also, the big flavour from the sauce is more than enough to carry the whole plate.

If noodles are your thing then you could serve it with a plain chow mein too!

It is not unusual for me to serve this with vegetables and usually choose either my stir-fried asparagus or broccoli stir fry.

Don’t forget the prawn toast and prawn crackers to start either!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Stovetop.
• Wok, I use a large carbon steel wok with a flat base because it is ideal to use on an induction hob.
• Thermometer for measuring temperature, I use a sugar thermometer.
• 15cm or 6″ saucepan.
• Pestle and mortar.
• Mixing bowls.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Grater.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
• Slotted spoon and stirring/serving spoons.
• Kitchen paper.