Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Perfect crispy strips of beef in a tangy spicy sauce. This is my favourite dish from the Chinese takeaway, so it has a lot to live up to!
Ingredients
360 g (¾ lbs) thin-cut sirloin steaks (approx 3 thin steaks) cut into thin strips
1 small egg
4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp white pepper
4 ½ tbsp sunflower oil divided
1 medium onion peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 red chilli finely sliced- discard the seeds if you don't like it too hot
1 tsp minced ginger
3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
6 tbsp caster sugar or superfine sugar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce I use Thai-style
Instructions
✅Place the steak strips in a bowl and add the egg. Mix together to thoroughly coat the steak in the egg.
✅Add the cornflour, salt, pepper, and white pepper.
✅Toss together to coat the steak. It will be a sticky mixture.
✅Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) or wok over a high heat until very hot.
✅You will probably need to work in two batches, so when the oil is hot, add in half the beef – a strip at a time – and spread it out.
✅Fry the steak until dark brown and crispy. Try not to move the meat around too much as this reduces the amount of crispiness you get. It generally takes about 5 or 6 minutes to crisp up the beef, with about 3 or 4 stirs during that time.
✅Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the beef from the pan and place in a bowl lined with kitchen roll to soak up excess fat.
✅Add a further tablespoon of oil and repeat – cooking the second batch of beef and then placing in the bowl with the first batch.
✅Once you’ve removed all the beef from the pan, add the remaining ½ tbsp of oil to the pan and turn the heat down to medium.
✅Add in the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
✅Add in the finely chopped chilli, minced ginger, and minced cloves of garlic and cook whilst stirring for 30 seconds.
✅Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, tomato puree, sugar, tomato ketchup, and sweet chilli sauce to the pan.
✅Turn up the heat and let it bubble for a couple of minutes until the sauce starts to reduce a little.
✅Add the beef back in, give it a stir and heat through for 1-2 minutes – until the beef is hot.
✅Serve with rice or noodles.
Perfect crispy strips of beef in a tangy spicy sauce. This is my favourite dish from the Chinese takeaway, so it has a lot to live up to!
Ingredients
360 g (¾ lbs) thin-cut sirloin steaks (approx 3 thin steaks) cut into thin strips
1 small egg
4 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp white pepper
4 ½ tbsp sunflower oil divided
1 medium onion peeled and sliced into thin strips
1 red chilli finely sliced- discard the seeds if you don't like it too hot
1 tsp minced ginger
3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
2 tbsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
6 tbsp caster sugar or superfine sugar
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce I use Thai-style
Instructions
✅Place the steak strips in a bowl and add the egg. Mix together to thoroughly coat the steak in the egg.
✅Add the cornflour, salt, pepper, and white pepper.
✅Toss together to coat the steak. It will be a sticky mixture.
✅Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan (skillet) or wok over a high heat until very hot.
✅You will probably need to work in two batches, so when the oil is hot, add in half the beef – a strip at a time – and spread it out.
✅Fry the steak until dark brown and crispy. Try not to move the meat around too much as this reduces the amount of crispiness you get. It generally takes about 5 or 6 minutes to crisp up the beef, with about 3 or 4 stirs during that time.
✅Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the beef from the pan and place in a bowl lined with kitchen roll to soak up excess fat.
✅Add a further tablespoon of oil and repeat – cooking the second batch of beef and then placing in the bowl with the first batch.
✅Once you’ve removed all the beef from the pan, add the remaining ½ tbsp of oil to the pan and turn the heat down to medium.
✅Add in the sliced onion and cook for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
✅Add in the finely chopped chilli, minced ginger, and minced cloves of garlic and cook whilst stirring for 30 seconds.
✅Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, tomato puree, sugar, tomato ketchup, and sweet chilli sauce to the pan.
✅Turn up the heat and let it bubble for a couple of minutes until the sauce starts to reduce a little.
✅Add the beef back in, give it a stir and heat through for 1-2 minutes – until the beef is hot.
✅Serve with rice or noodles.
