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Crispy Chilli Beef Rice

Crispy chilli beef rice with shatteringly crisp beef strips tossed in a sweet-spicy red-orange chilli sauce and piled over fluffy white rice. Fry in hot oil for 2–3 minutes per batch, then serve immediately so the crunch stays intact.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crispy beef
  • 1 lb flank steak Slice very thin so the strips fry crisp and cook through fast.
  • 0.3333 cup cornstarch Coats the beef for shatter-crisp frying.
  • Salt and black pepper Season the cornstarch coating; use to taste.
  • Oil for frying Enough to maintain the 350°F oil depth for frying (about 1/2 inch).
Aromatics and chilli
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 red chilli Sliced (or use 1/2 tsp chilli flakes).
Chilli sauce
  • 0.25 cup sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Serving
  • Cooked rice Fluffy white rice for serving.
  • green onions For garnish.
  • sesame seeds For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Coat and fry the beef
  1. Toss the sliced flank steak with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until every strip is well coated.
  2. Fry the beef in batches in about 1/2 inch of hot oil at 350°F for 2–3 minutes per batch until extremely crispy and golden, then drain on paper towels.
Make the chilli sauce and toss
  1. Mix the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil together until smooth.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok, cook the garlic and red chilli for 30 seconds, then add the chilli sauce and simmer for 1 minute.
  3. Add the crispy beef and toss quickly just to coat, then serve immediately over cooked rice before the beef loses its crunch.
Garnish and serve
  1. Top with green onions and sesame seeds and serve right away.

Notes

For maximum crunch, fry in small batches so the oil can recover to 350°F between additions, and toss with sauce only for a brief coating right before serving. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days, but note the beef will soften as it sits. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. If you want a lighter option, swap flank steak for lean sirloin and use a thinner sauce coating by reducing the sweet chilli sauce by 1 tablespoon.