How Chinese Chefs cook Crispy Chilli Beef (Easy Version)

First, prepare the silverside beef by trimming off the sinew, as it can become tough when cooked.

Find the grain of the meat. First, slice the beef with the grain into thick steaks, then slice those steaks against the grain into thin strips. This helps make the meat less stringy after cooking.

Place the sliced beef in a bowl, cover it with cold water, and add a pinch of salt. Let it soak for about 20 minutes to draw out the red pigment, which helps prevent a bitter taste when frying.

For the garnish, thinly slice spring onions into strips.

Soak the sliced spring onions in a bowl of cold water. This will make them curl up nicely for garnishing.

Thinly slice one onion.

Cut half a carrot into matchsticks.

Slice red and green chilies into thin discs.

Rehydrate garlic granules by pouring boiling water over them. Let them sit for about 20 minutes, then drain.

Prepare the dry batter mix by combining potato starch, salt, MSG, and white pepper in a tray.

Drain the soaked beef and coat it thoroughly in the dry starch mixture.

Add one egg white to the coated beef and mix well until everything is evenly coated.

Place the beef back into the dry starch mixture and coat it a second time. Squeeze the beef to help the batter stick.

Deep fry the battered beef in vegetable oil at 180°C (356°F) for about 10 minutes, or until it's crispy and golden brown.

Once fried, remove the beef from the oil and drain it on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

To make the sauce, add some vegetable oil to a hot pan. Fry the rehydrated garlic, then add salt and MSG, and cook until the Maillard reaction occurs, creating flavor.

Add water, orange squash, white vinegar, tomato ketchup, sugar, a dash of dark soy sauce, and hoisin sauce to the pan. Mix everything together.

Add chili flakes and optional red food coloring to the sauce for extra heat and vibrant color. Let the sauce reduce to a light syrup consistency.

Add the sliced carrots, onions, and chilies to the sauce and cook for about a minute.

Add the crispy fried beef to the pan and toss everything together to coat the beef evenly with the sauce and vegetables.

Serve the crispy chili beef in a bowl and garnish with the curly spring onions on top.