Sichuan pepper beef with five-a-day vegetables in a five-spice gravy brings together tender strips of beef, crisp colourful vegetables and a rich, savoury sauce.
Prep: Overnight
Cook: Less than 10 mins
Serves:Serves 2
Dietary:Dairy-free, Egg-free, Pregnancy-friendly
By Ching-He Huang
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Sichuan pepper beef with five-a-day vegetables in a five-spice gravy achieves an estimated Nutri-Score A. This high-protein stir fry combines lean sirloin steak with a generous variety of vegetables including broccoli, pak choi, baby corn, carrot and red cabbage. The dish is rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals while remaining relatively low in saturated fat and added sugar.
Estimated nutrition per serving (excluding rice):
Calories: 480 kcal | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Carbohydrates: 24g | Sugars: 12g | Fibre: 8g | Protein: 48g | Salt: 2.3g
Ingredients
For the marinated beef
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 200–250g sirloin steaks, cut into strips
For the stir fry
- 2 tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into half rounds
- 200g baby corn, halved
- ¼ red cabbage, shredded
- 200g Tenderstem broccoli
- 1 large head baby pak choi
- 300ml hot beef or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
To serve
- Steamed jasmine rice
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Customise
- Swap sirloin steak for rump steak or lean beef strips.
- Replace groundnut oil with sunflower oil if preferred.
- Use vegetable stock for a lighter flavour.
- Swap Tenderstem broccoli for regular broccoli florets.
- Add extra pak choi, mangetout or peppers for even more vegetables.
Method
- Stage 1 – Prepare the marinade and beef (10 minutes, can be done overnight)
Mix the Shaoxing rice wine, ground Sichuan pepper, dark soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder and crushed garlic in a large bowl. Add the beef strips and turn them well so every piece is coated in the fragrant marinade. - Marinate the beef
Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge overnight if possible. If time is short, leave it for as long as you can. This extra time helps the Sichuan pepper beef absorb plenty of flavour. - Stage 2 – Prepare the vegetables (5 minutes, while the beef marinates)
Slice, chop and shred all the vegetables. Having everything ready beside the hob makes this Sichuan pepper beef stir fry quick and easy once cooking begins. - Stage 3 – Cook the beef (2 minutes)
Heat the groundnut oil in a wok over a high heat until hot. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry briskly for about 2 minutes, keeping it moving so it cooks evenly and develops plenty of colour. - Add the aromatics (30 seconds)
Stir in the chopped chilli and red onion. Toss everything together for around 30 seconds until the onion starts to soften and release its flavour. - Cook the vegetables (1 minute)
Add the carrot, baby corn, red cabbage, Tenderstem broccoli and pak choi. Stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute to keep the vegetables vibrant and slightly crisp. - Stage 4 – Build the five-spice gravy (2 minutes)
Pour in the hot stock and stir well. Add the light soy sauce, bring everything to the boil, then pour in the cornflour mixture while stirring continuously. The sauce will quickly thicken into a glossy five-spice gravy. - Finish and season
Stir through the sliced spring onion. Taste the sauce and season with salt and white pepper as needed. The Sichuan pepper beef with five-a-day vegetables should have a balance of savoury, spicy and aromatic flavours. - Serve straight away
Spoon the Sichuan pepper beef with five-a-day vegetables in a five-spice gravy over steamed jasmine rice. Scatter over the angled spring onion slices and black sesame seeds before serving.