Dish of Beef with Celery & Bamboo
(click to enlarge)

Beef with Celery & Bamboo


China - Sichuan
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 main
***
1 hr
Most		 Pleasantly flavorful and with an attractive contrast of soft and crunchy textures - don't let its blackness put you off. You can control the chili hotness as you desire (see Note-2).

1
------
1
2
1
4
------
8
14
6
2
1/2
------
1/2
1/4
2
1/4
2
2
4
4
------
1-1/2
#
---
T
t
T
t
---

oz
oz
cl
in
---
T
c
T
c
t
t
t
t
---
c
Beef lean (1)
-- Marinade
Oil
Soy Sauce, dark
Cornstarch
Water
---------------
Chilis dry (2)
Celery
Bamboo Shoots
Garlic
Ginger
-- Sauce
Szechuan Pepper (5)  
Soy Sauce, dark
Rice Wine
Vinegar, (3)
Sugar, opt. (4)
Cornstarch
Water
Sesame oil, dark
---------------
Oil
Prep   -   (50 min - 30 min work)
  1. Slice BEEF across the grain about 1/8 inch thick. Slice the slices into very narrow strips 1-1/2 to 2 inches long. This is easiest if the beef has been put in the freezer compartment long enough to become stiff but not frozen.
  2. Mix all Marinade items and massage into Beef. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning once or twice.
  3. Break stem ends from CHILIS and dump out any loose seeds.
  4. Trim CELERY to remove white bottoms and branches. Cut into 1-1/2 inch lengths and then lengthwise into very narrow strips. Slice BAMBOO SHOOTS similar to Celery. Mix.
  5. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice GINGER very thin, then slice into threads. Mix.
  6. Crush Szechuan Pepper and mix all Sauce items.
RUN   -   (15 min)
  1. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil for deep fry over high heat. Stir in Beef and fry stirring, separating the strips. If you beef is fresh this should be only a couple minutes, but if it was frozen give it more time to boil off the water it will release. Pour oil out through a strainer and let beef drain for a few minutes.
  2. Return 3 T of the Oil to the pan. Bring up fairly hot and stir in Chilis until they become quite dark but not at all burned. Stir in Garlic Mix for a few seconds and then stir in the Celery mix. Fry stirring until the celery is tender but still quite crisp.
  3. Stir Beef back in until heated. Stir in Sauce Mix and bring up to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  4. Serve immediately with plenty of steamed long grain rice.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Just about any cut will do here, but trim away all removable fat and membranes.

  2. Chilis:

      Here is where you control the hotness. Japones will make it just moderately hot, but if you want more you can use de Arbols or Thai. For details see our Chili Page.

  3. Vinegar:

      Preferably this will be Chinkiang Vinegar, a medium dark vinegar, but failing that another rice vinegar will serve. For details see our Sours page.

  4. Sugar:

      While this amount is about half what was called for in the pattern recipe, it still makes the dish too sweet for my taste - the dark soy sauce should provide sweetness enough. Use your own best judgement.

  5. Szechuan Pepper:

      This is nothing like regular pepper. Recipes call for the peppercorns to be dry roasted but they are already lightly roasted to make them legal for import into the US, and I consider that sufficient. For details see our Szechuan Peppercorn page.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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