Sweet and Sour Beef

Ingredients

• 300 gBeef steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 tspSoy sauce (regular or light)
• 2 tspGrated ginger
• 2 tspGrated garlic
• 2 tspSesame oil
• 1/4 tspWhite pepper (or black pepper)
• 1/4 tspBicarbonate of soda
• 1Egg white, whisked
• 6 tbspCornflour (or potato starch; add more if needed)
• 2 tbspBrown sugar (or white sugar)
• 2 tbspRice vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
• 3 tbspWater
• 1 tspChicken bouillon (or chicken powder)
• 3 tbspTomato ketchup
• 1/2 tspCornflour
• 1 tspSalt (or to taste)
• 1 cloveGarlic, minced
• 1/2Onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2Red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2Green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1–2Spring onions, thinly sliced
• As neededNeutral-flavoured oil for frying, such as sunflower, rapeseed or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the beef

   Cut the beef into thin strips and put them in a large mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, bicarbonate of soda and grated ginger, mix well, then leave for 15 minutes.

2. 2

   Coat the strips

   Add the whisked egg white and mix it through the beef. Add the cornflour and coat each strip thoroughly.

3. 3

   Fry until crisp

   Fry the beef strips in hot oil for 3–4 minutes, until crispy. Lift them out and set aside.

4. 4

   Mix the sauce

   Put the sweet-and-sour sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

5. 5

   Cook the vegetables

   Heat a wok over medium heat and drizzle in 1 tbsp oil. Stir-fry the minced garlic, onion and peppers, then pour in the sauce. Stir and wait for it to thicken and turn glossy. Add the fried beef and toss everything together.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Scatter over the spring onions and serve.

What is sweet and sour beef?

Sweet and sour beef is a stir-fried dish built around the contrast of tangy vinegar and sweetness, with tender beef and vegetables. Sweet-and-sour flavours appear in different Chinese regional and international cooking traditions, so recipes vary in their sauce and preparation.

Here, the beef is coated and fried separately before it meets the sauce. That helps keep the strips crisp while the vegetables and glossy sauce come together in the wok.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 559 calories, 34g protein, 49g carbs, 25g fat.

The beef provides most of the protein, while the cornflour coating and sugar contribute carbohydrates. Sesame and frying oils account for much of the fat; serve with a generous portion of vegetables or add another vegetable side to balance the plate.

Choosing and preparing the beef

Cut: Slice the steak into narrow, even strips so they cook quickly and are easy to coat. Cutting across the grain can make the pieces easier to bite.

Marinade: Soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, pepper and a little bicarbonate of soda season the beef during its 15-minute rest. Mix thoroughly so the seasoning reaches all the strips.

Getting a crisp coating

Coating: Mix in the egg white first, then add the cornflour so it clings to the beef. Separate any pieces that stick together before frying.

Frying: Use hot oil and cook the strips for 3–4 minutes, as directed, until crisp. Fry in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan; transfer each batch out before cooking the next.

Making the glossy sauce

Balance: Brown sugar brings sweetness, while rice vinegar and ketchup give the sauce its sweet-and-tangy character. The chicken bouillon adds savoury flavour.

Thickening: Whisk the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves, then stir the mixture in the wok until it looks thick and glossy. Toss the beef through it at the end so the coating does not spend long softening in the sauce.

Cooking the vegetables

Aromatics: Stir-fry the minced garlic and sliced onion in the wok before adding the sauce. Keep them moving so the garlic does not catch.

Peppers: Thinly sliced red and green peppers cook quickly and add colour and bite. The recipe does not specify a separate cooking time, so use the listed order and stir-fry them until they are ready for the sauce.

Serving and timing

Serve the beef as soon as it has been tossed with the sauce and topped with spring onions. Plain rice or noodles make a simple accompaniment and turn it into a more substantial dinner.

The active cooking is quick, but allow the specified 15-minute beef marinade before coating and frying. Get the vegetables and sauce ingredients ready while the beef rests.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the beef into similarly sized strips so they cook at a similar pace.
• Whisk the sauce before it goes into the wok so the sugar and cornflour are evenly dispersed.
• Shake off loose excess cornflour before frying to help prevent a heavy coating.
• Fry the beef in batches if the pan is crowded, keeping the cooked strips aside.
• Have the sliced vegetables and mixed sauce ready before you start stir-frying.

Variations

• Use potato starch: Coat the beef with potato starch instead of cornflour as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Swap the vinegar: Use regular white vinegar in place of rice vinegar.
• Change the pepper: Use black pepper instead of white pepper.
• Choose another sugar: Use white sugar instead of brown sugar.
• Adjust the heat: Add a little chilli to the sauce for a spicier version.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven strips: Cut the beef into similarly thin pieces so they fry at roughly the same rate.
• Crowded frying: Too many strips at once can hinder crisping; fry them in batches.
• Clumped coating: Separate pieces as you add the cornflour so each strip gets coated.
• Burnt garlic: Stir the garlic with the onion and peppers, and keep it moving in the wok.
• Soft beef: Toss the fried strips into the sauce at the end and serve promptly.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot in a pan or microwave; the beef coating may lose some of its crispness once sauced and stored.

Frequently asked questions