Szechuan beef is a beef stir-fry dish which originated in the Sichuan province. It consists of beef cut into thin strips and marinated before being fried alongside other ingredients such as broccoli, onions, peanuts, and water chestnuts. Chefs marinate the meat in soy sauce, cornstarch, crushed red pepper and garlic for around 20 minutes before cooking it. Other ingredients such as baby corn, pea pods, and ginger can also be added to the stir-fry according the chef’s taste. The dish is typical of Szechuan style cooking because it includes peppers, garlic, salt, and sugar.
A stir-fry is a style of dish in which the ingredients are all shallow-fried in a wok to cook them. The name comes from the frying of the ingredients and the frequent stirring required to ensure the ingredients cook evenly. Szechuan beef is a stir-fry dish, and is therefore cooked in this way. The beef is usually added to the stir-fry first because it takes the longest to cook. Chefs add other ingredients after the beef has been cooking for a few minutes.
Marinating the beef prior to cooking is important to the flavor of Szechuan beef. Chefs make a marinade out of soy sauce, garlic, crushed red pepper, and cornstarch. The mixture is poured over the beef and then it is left to absorb the flavor for around 20 minutes. Some chefs choose to add cooking wine or rice wine to the marinade. Other ingredients can be added to the marinade mixture according to the chef’s specific version of the recipe.
Other ingredients are fried alongside the meat in Szechuan beef. These ingredients can vary, but often include peanuts, water chestnuts, broccoli, and onions. Some chefs choose to add other ingredients such as baby corn, ginger root, sugar, bell peppers, and pea pods to the dish. Many cooks prefer to include ingredients listed on recipes for the dish, but some will add ingredients of their own choosing. For example, some chefs choose to make a sauce for the dish by adding chicken broth to the stir-fry.
Szechuan cuisine features flavors that are found in Szechuan beef. The Sichuan province in the west of China is the home of Szechuan food. Spiciness and rich flavor are hallmarks of Szechuan food, and it aims to bring together salty, bitter, sweet, sour, and pungent flavors. Common Szechuan ingredients such as garlic, chili pepper, salt, sugar, and ginger are included in most recipes for Szechuan beef. Chefs should ensure these ingredients are included in their dish for authentic flavor.