Xiao Chao Huang Niu Rou (小炒黄牛肉 — Hunan Stir-Fried Yellow Beef with Celery and Peppers)

Xiao chao huang niu rou is one of Hunan's most beloved home-cook dishes, found sizzling in woks across Changsha's restaurant strips and household kitchens alike. "Yellow beef" (huang niu rou) refers to beef from yellow cattle, a native Hunan breed prized for its tenderness and flavour; the stir-fry is characterised by its combination of fresh and pickled chillies, the crunch of celery, and a finish of soybean paste that coats every strand of meat.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) beef flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced against the grain
• 1 tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15g) cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 5cm (2 in) batons
• 2 fresh red chillies (medium heat), sliced
• 3 pickled green chillies (pao jiao), sliced
• 1 tbsp (15g) doubanjiang or Hunanese soybean paste
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp (30ml) neutral oil
• 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Combine beef slices with light soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil; mix well and set aside 15 minutes.
2. Heat wok over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil, then the beef in a single layer. Cook without stirring for 90 seconds until charred edges form, then toss rapidly for 30 seconds more. Remove and set aside.
3. Add remaining oil to the wok. Add garlic and ginger; stir-fry 20 seconds. Add fresh and pickled chillies; stir-fry 1 minute until the edges blister.
4. Add doubanjiang/soybean paste; cook 1 minute until fragrant and the oil turns red.
5. Return beef to the wok. Add celery and Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry over maximum heat for 2 minutes, tossing constantly, until celery is just tender-crisp and the beef is well-coated in the sauce.
6. Taste and adjust salt. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

Cook's Notes: The key to this dish is extreme wok heat — the goal is wok hei, that smoky char imparted only by a searingly hot surface. Cook in small batches if your burner is not powerful. The combination of fresh and pickled chillies gives both heat and brightness.