This is a thrifty yet extraordinary dinner for all the ones times you need to scratch your highly spiced Asian meals itch, rapidly! Seared beef mince gets tossed through a fiery Firecracker Sauce, all served over rice or noodles, a piece like a spicy beef version of the much-loved Vietnamese Caramelised beef Mince.
Firecracker Beef
“I want a spicy Asian meal restored!” fanatics of Asian food will recognize precisely what I imply. It’s a recurring flavor yearning that, whilst left unsatisfied for too lengthy, rears its head like a waking beast.
The pleasure the beast seeks is unique. It’s chili-laced, massive-flavored Asian meals. I’m talking about the likes of Thai Drunken Noodles. Chilli Garlic Prawns. Dan Dan Noodles. Laksa. whatever bold-tasting with a wallop of tongue-tickling highly spiced warmness. nothing else will do!
The modern and quite probable quickest-to-make addition to my spicy Asian repertoire that suits the invoice is this Firecracker beef, aptly named as it’s a literal flavor explosion! think highly spiced, deeply savory leaning a little sweet, all given some legs with a touch of vinegar.
It’s as tasty as they arrive and very, very fast to make!
What you need for Firecracker Beef
Right here’s what you need to make Firecracker sauce.
- Sriracha – A Thai chili sauce bought everywhere nowadays (Asian aisle and/or sauce aisle of supermarkets). that is the principal supply of spiciness in this recipe. It additionally adds flavor as sriracha is made with greater than just chili, which includes garlic, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
- Chilli flakes (purple pepper flakes) – the second supply of spiciness within the dish, this adds an extra earthy chili flavor further to the tangy, sparkling chili flavor of the Sriracha. To reduce the spiciness, dial the chili flakes back first earlier than reducing sriracha. Sriracha adds extra flavor to the dish than chili flakes, so it’s more vital.
- pork mince (floor red meat) – Any fat percent is first-rate: lean or trendy. The fattier it is, the better the beef will caramelize.
- different proteins – ground chicken, pork, or turkey all work well with Firecracker sauce!
- Sugar – Firecracker sauce’s flavor profile is highly spiced and sweet, so this is the candy. It also allows the beef to caramelise which adds even more flavor to the general dish.
- Rice vinegar – This gives the sharpness in the dish to offset the candy and savory. I take advantage of rice vinegar in keeping with the Asian spirit of this dish however apple cider vinegar may be substituted in a pinch.
- mild soy – The primary source of salt for this recipe. All-reason soy sauce also can be used, but now not dark soy sauce because the flavor and color are too severe. more on one-of-a-kind kinds of soy sauces and how to replacement here!
- Garlic – sparkling garlic is a crucial fragrant flavor base that appears in 99% of my savory recipes. You’d be hard-pressed to discover a dinner recipe without garlic!
How to make Firecracker Beef
You’re 15 mins faraway from thankfully hoovering this down! prepared, set, cross!
- Firecracker sauce – blend all the ingredients in a bowl.
- cook beef – using a large non-stick pan over high warmness, cook dinner the beef till you could not see uncooked meat. Then add the garlic and chili flakes and prepare dinner for every other 1 minute until the garlic bits are golden.
- Sauce it – add the Firecracker sauce and prepare dinner for a good 5 to 7 mins on high heat till the sauce reduces and the red meat begins to caramelize. Caramelization is the important thing to creating a wickedly good Firecracker, so don’t shortcut this step!
- Moisten it up – After the pork is caramelized, you’ll word that it seems a piece dried out. this is because all the sauce has decreased, caramelized, and glued to the pork (= flavor!) To rectify this, we just upload a slosh of water to juice up the red meat a chunk and deliver it a more saucy end. provide it a brief stir and it’s done!
How to serve Firecracker Beef
My default is to serve over white rice with a few raw greens (cucumber, carrot, and radish pictured). I like the crunchy-textured, cooling, and refreshing evaluation they’ve in opposition to all that huge flavor in the smooth red meat. For garnishes, sprinkle with green onion, sesame seeds, and a squirt of more sriracha if you’re feeling it’s a further spicy kind of evening.
To consume, just blend the red meat thru the rice and devour with a spoon. because the pork is generously flavored, I don’t even sense the need for dressing over the vegetables. if you wanted something quick even though, try my Asian Sesame Dressing
FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT….
It’s also remarkable with soba noodles or vermicelli noodles (an incredible no-cook-just-soak option). Or make Asian-inspired Sloppy Joes or tacos:
- Stuff warm buttered rolls or tortillas with this Firecracker red meat together with an easy slaw or salad leaves
- Quesadillas – Firecracker beef, cheese, and some other add-ins you fancy!
- top with lightly pickled vegetables like the carrot in Banh Mi, these pickled pink onions from Fish Tacos, or cucumber ribbons in Beetroot Cured Salmon
- finish with a squirt of sriracha and for added indulgence, a few kewpie mayonnaise.
I haven’t made any of those before but now I need to try them, right now!!.
