Hunan Liang Ban Pao Jiao Niu Rou

This cold-dressed beef dish is a staple of Hunan home cooking, where thinly sliced poached beef is dressed with pungent pickled chillies, sesame oil, and a generous heap of fresh coriander and spring onions. Unlike the fiery stir-fries Hunan is known for internationally, this preparation celebrates the region's love of sour-hot flavours at room temperature.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) beef topside or flank, in one piece
• 6 pao jiao (pickled red chillies), sliced into rings
• 2 tbsp (30ml) pickling brine from the jar
• 1 tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil
• 1 tsp (5g) caster sugar
• 3 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
• 1 large handful fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (3g) toasted sesame seeds
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp (5g) whole Sichuan peppercorns

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of water to the boil with ginger, Shaoxing wine, and Sichuan peppercorns. Add the beef and poach on a low simmer for 35-40 minutes until just cooked through but still slightly pink at the centre.
2. Remove beef and cool at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour until completely cold.
3. Slice the chilled beef across the grain into very thin slices, 2-3mm thick. Arrange on a wide serving plate.
4. Whisk together the pickled chilli brine, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and minced garlic to make the dressing.
5. Scatter the pickled chilli rings, spring onions, and coriander over the beef, then pour the dressing evenly over the top.
6. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately at room temperature or cold.

Cook's Notes: Pao jiao are sold in jars at Chinese grocers — their brine is the secret flavour in this dish. For a milder result, deseed the chillies before slicing. The beef benefits greatly from at least 2 hours of refrigeration, so this dish is ideal to prepare ahead.