Cumin Beef — Xinjiang Style

Sliced beef seared with toasted cumin, chilli flakes, onion and coriander in a very hot wok.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 35 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 450g beef rump or sirloin steak, sliced thinly across the grain
  • For the marinade: 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 1 tbsp Sichuan chilli flakes (or ordinary dried chilli flakes)
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Mix the beef with the marinade ingredients and leave for 15 minutes.

  2. Toast the cumin seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok for 1 minute until fragrant. Tip into a mortar and crush coarsely.

  3. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in the wok over the highest heat until smoking. Sear the beef in 2 batches for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned but still tender. Remove to a plate.

  4. Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the onion for 2 minutes until charred at the edges.

  5. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and stir for 15 seconds, then return the beef with the crushed spices, spring onions and salt.

  6. Toss for 1 minute over a high heat, stir through the coriander and serve at once with steamed rice or flatbreads.