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Hunan beef with peppers and asparagus. The classic spicy hunan beef dish made a little healthier with the addition of colorful bell peppers and asparagus. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy one those dishes that will make you forget about Chinese take-out forever.

Hunan Beef with Peppers and Asparagus

Course: lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: Asian beef, Hunan beef, stir fry beef
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 255kcal
Author: Victor
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless beef short rib (recommended or other steak, sliced into 1/4" thick slices)
  • 1 cup peanut oil for frying

For the marinade:

  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry wine)
  • 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp potato starch (substitute for all-purpose flour at 1:1 ratio if necessary)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp water

For the stir fry:

  • 1 Tbsp minced ginger
  • 5 garlic cloves (finely chopped or minced)
  • 2 Thai red chiles (Bird's Eye chiles, seeded and finely chopped (for mild heat))
  • 1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional; 1-2 tsp for medium heat, 3+ tsp for more heat)
  • Kosher salt (to taste)
  • 4 scallions (sliced about 1-inch long on the diagonal
  • 8-10 asparagus spears (cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal)
  • 1/2 each red (green and yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the marinade. Add the beef and mix well to ensure good coverage. Let marinate for 15 minutes in a fridge.
  • Heat peanut oil to about 300F in a wok. Add half of the beef and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring gently, until the meat looks nicely browned. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the oil. Repeat with the other half of the beef.
  • Pour off the oil from the wok, leaving about 3 tablespoons behind. Over a high flame, add the ginger, garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the bell peppers and the asparagus and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, until the veggies softened up and look slightly charred. Add the Thai chiles and chili flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Return the beef to the wok, add sesame oil, scallions and stir well. Taste and adjust salt to taste. Continue stir-frying until the beef is sizzling and fragrant, about a minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 578mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 975IU | Vitamin C: 24.2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3.6mg