Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Spicy Dry-Fried Beef and Celery
In Chinese cooking, dry-frying, or gan bian, is a technique in which a protein or vegetable first is browned, then is stir-fried with aromatics and seasonings that cling to the browned surfaces. Dry-fried dishes aren’t saucy like typical stir-fries, but the flavors are intense and concentrated. Beef and celery is a classic dry-fried combination. For this version, we use a tender, meaty strip steak, cut it into matchsticks, and brown it in a hot skillet before introducing the other ingredients. Salty, savory fermented chili-bean paste called toban djan provides loads of umami (chili-garlic sauce is a good alternative) and Sichuan peppercorns bring their unique tongue-tingling spice. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
4
Servings
Tip
Don’t skip the step of salting the celery before cooking. The salt draws out some of the water from the celery, ensuring the slices are a tender-crisp counterpoint to the beef. Also, be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce or the stir-fry may end up overseasoned (toban djan is high in salt). If you have only regular soy sauce, dilute 1 tablespoon with an equal amount of water and use it in place of the low-sodium soy.
40 minutes
Ingredients
-
6-7
medium celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal (about 4 cups), plus celery leaves (optional), to serve
-
Kosher salt
Directions
-
01In a colander set over a bowl or sink, toss the sliced celery with ¼ teaspoon salt; let stand for about 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze the celery to remove excess moisture; set aside.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINT
