Oh, Chinese takeout, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Sesame Chicken. Soup dumplings. Egg rolls. Bao buns. Yum. But what I really, really can’t get enough of? Szechuan Beef, y’all.

I am caps-worthy OBSESSED.

Just thinking about the melt-in-your-mouth strips of meat, and the spicy perfection of the Szechuan sauce is making my mouth water. During one of my embarrassingly long research sessions on Pinterest, I discovered there aren’t that many recipes out there, considering it’s one of America’s favorite takeout dishes.

I didn’t let a little thing like that stop me from going deeeeep into my memory files and coming up with something that tastes pretty close to my favorite Chinatown restaurants.

This recipe takes about 35 mins to prepare, but if you purchase ready cut beef (the kind that says it’s perfect for chili) you can whip it together in 25 mins. Not too shabby for homemade fast food that’s gloriously gluten free and dairy free, and packed with TONS of flavor.

Kerri’s time-saving tips:

Slice meat while it’s half frozen, it’ll cut faster without much mess. To make grating the ginger easier, grab a food processor and throw it in with a hit of olive oil to keep it from sticking to the sides and pulse until it’s minced well. If you’re making your own rice, start that after you prep the meat because it’ll take 20 mins. Always remember it’s 2 cups of water to every cup of rice, and don’t forget to salt the water. If you’re in a hurry – grab some white rice at a local Chinese restaurant on your way home from work!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Print Szechuan Beef Takeout Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 4-6 Ingredients For the beef: 1.5 lbs. steak (I used NY Strip)

1 tablespoon liquid aminos or soy sauce (I use Bragg’s brand because it’s wheat-free)

1 tablespoon white wine

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons sesame oil



For the veggies: 3 celery stalks, julienned

1/2 cup shredded carrots

3 green onions, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces, whites and all

1 inch fresh ginger, grated



For the sauce: 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon 5 spice

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Sriracha

4 tablespoons liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 tablespoons water Instructions Cut steak into 1/4 inch strips. If you’ve bought precut meat, then just toss it into a bowl and add the white wine and soy sauce. Mix until well coated, add the cornstarch and mix again. Let it marinate for ten minutes. Mix all your ingredients for the sauce in a bowl. Next put the sesame oil in a large pan (or wok) and turn it to medium heat. (You want the pan to slowly get hot while you’re prepping your veggies, if it starts smoking turn it down a little.) Slice your celery and green onions, grate the ginger, and measure your carrots, set aside on a plate. Divide beef into two batches and add your first to the now hot pan. The meat should just cover the bottom surface so you can cook it evenly. (Around 3-4 minutes per batch.) Remove beef to a paper towel lined plate and cook second batch. Turn heat up to high, add a hit of oil (if needed) and toss the veggies and ginger in. Stir every minute or so for 3-4 mins. Once they’ve reached your desired doneness (I prefer mine cooked through), add your Szechuan sauce and cook for an additonal minute. Toss in the beef, mix well and serve over white rice. 4.4.2.1 http://www.sndwchsetc.com/?p=43 All recipes and picture rights reserved by Kerri Maniscalco unless stated otherwise.