Hi everyone! This is a super crispy Panda Express hack to their Beijing Beef using a tempura batter, and adds to our series on Chinese American Food Hacks. We have slowly been making our way through the Panda Express menu, reproducing close copies of their original recipes, then incorporating more traditional Chinese ingredients and flavors that are pretty common in Chinese cooking, but a little less common in Chinese American cuisine. Hope you give this one a shot!
serves 2-3
INGREDIENTS
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ginger (about 1 inch)
1 lb angus sirloin steak
1 red bell pepper
1/2 medium white onion
chili flake
vegetable oil
INGREDIENTS (tempura batter)
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup AP flour
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
INGREDIENTS (sauce)
1/4 cup water
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
1/4 cup honey
corn starch
PREP
CRUSH and mince the garlic, set aside
FINE MINCE the ginger, set aside
SEPARATE the green onions by whites/greens, then slice the whites into 1/4 inch planks, and the greens on a bias as a garnish, set aside
SLICE the steak into 1/4 inch pieces, set aside
LARGE DICE the red bell pepper, set aside
LARGE DICE the onion, set aside
COMBINE all ingredients for the tempura batter, and mix until a smooth batter forms
COAT each piece of steak in the tempura batter, set aside
COMBINE all sauce ingredients, set aside
COMBINE 2 tbsp corn starch with equal parts water and mix until a slurry forms, set aside
ON THE STOVE
HEAT 12 oz vegetable oil to 350F and deepfry the steak 12-14 pieces at a time until golden
REMOVE the oil, wipe down the wok, add back 4 tbsp vegetable oil and long yao
SAUTE the garlic and ginger until fragrant, 10-15 seconds
ADD the bell pepper and onion, and toss 1-2 minutes, until lightly cooked (they should still be pretty crunchy)
ADD the steak back to the wok, followed by the sauce and corn starch slurry
TOSS until a thick sauce forms about 1-2 minutes
FINISH with red pepper flake