Hunan Beef with Cumin Recipe (Zi Ran Niu Rou)

Full recipe on Feeding Fen

Cumin isn't a typical spice in Chinese cooking, but it is very popular in the western province of Xinjiang, and there are plenty of delicious recipes that use it. Hunan beef with cumin is an easy-to-make and wonderfully meaty dish that’s perfect if you’re entertaining carnivores - give it a try!

Ingredients

• 250g trimmed beef steak

• ½ red pepper

• ½ green pepper

• 4 tbsp cooking oil

• 1½ tsp finely chopped ginger

• 2 tsp finely chopped garlic

• 1 fresh red chilli, deseed and finely chopped (optional)

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 2-4 dried chilli flakes to taste

• 2 spring onions, green parts only, finely diced

• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the marinade

• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine

• ¼ tsp salt

• ½ tsp light soy sauce

• ¾ tsp dark soy sauce

• 1½ tsp potato flour

• 1½ tbsp water

Instructions

• Cut the beef into thin slices. Mix together the marinade ingredients and add the 1½ tbsp water. Mix well with the meat

• Cut the pepper into 1-2cm strips, then cut again diagonally it bitesize pieces

• Add 3 tbsp of oil to your pan and heat over a high flame. Stir-fry the meat until the pieces have separated, but they are still a little pink. Remove from the pan

• Add the remaining oil to the pan and stir-fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add the peppers and chilies if using, and stir-fry until everything is cooked and smells delicious.

• Add in the beef slices, stir, then add the cumin and dried chillies.

• Stir-fry until everything is sizzling nicely, then add the spring onion and toss. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil, then serve

bon appetit