Chinese Sliced Meat with Spicy Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.5 lb Meat (thinly sliced; pork or beef recommended)
• Salt (for marinating and seasoning)
• 2 tbsp Light soy sauce (divided for marinade and sauce)
• 1 tbsp Cornstarch (for the slurry)
• 2 tbsp Warm water (to mix with cornstarch)
• 1 tsp Chinese secret spice (likely Five Spice powder or similar)
• 1 tbsp Soybean paste (Doubanjiang or similar fermented paste)
• 1.5 cup Water (for the broth)
• 0.25 tsp MSG (optional seasoning)
• 2 Green and red chili (sliced)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the thinly sliced meat in a bowl and add salt and light soy sauce. Gently massage the meat to incorporate the seasonings.

2. 2

   In a separate small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and warm water to create a slurry. Pour this over the meat and mix well to coat each slice.

3. 3

   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the meat slices into the boiling water and reduce the heat to low.

4. 4

   Cook the meat undisturbed until the slices float to the surface. Once floating, remove the meat from the water and set aside.

5. 5

   In a clean pan or wok, add the Chinese spice and soybean paste. Stir-fry over medium heat until fragrant.

6. 6

   Add water to the pan to create a broth. Season with salt, MSG, and light soy sauce.

7. 7

   Add the cooked meat slices and the sliced green and red chilies to the broth.

8. 8

   Cook everything together over high heat for 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve hot.

Notes

The 'massage' and cornstarch slurry technique is a form of 'velveting,' which ensures the meat stays extremely tender during the boiling process.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Chinese
• spicy
• meat
• comfort food
• quick meal