Description
This Air Fryer Crispy Chilli Beef is a quick and flavorful dish featuring thinly sliced steak coated in a light cornflour batter, air fried to crispy perfection, then tossed in a savory, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce infused with garlic, ginger, and fresh vegetables. Perfect for a tasty midweek dinner with a delicious crunchy texture and bold Asian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Coating
- 250g thin-cut minute steak, thinly sliced into strips
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a drizzle for coating beef
Marinade
- 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp caster sugar
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
- 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, Chinese five-spice powder, additional soy sauce, sesame oil, and caster sugar to form the marinade. Add the thinly sliced steak strips and toss well to coat evenly. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; otherwise, proceed immediately to the next step.
- Coat the Beef: Sprinkle the cornflour evenly over the marinated steak strips, mixing well until each piece is coated in a floury paste. Gently separate the strips and arrange them on a plate. Drizzle a little vegetable oil over the beef strips to help crisp during cooking.
- Preheat and Air Fry the Beef: Preheat the air fryer to 220°C (if it has a preheat option). Place the beef strips carefully on the air fryer cooking rack without overlapping to ensure crispy edges. Cook for 6 minutes, then turn the strips over and cook for an additional 4 to 6 minutes until the beef is golden and crispy.
- Prepare the Sauce and Vegetables: While the beef cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add the crushed garlic, matchstick ginger, sliced red chilli, red pepper chunks, and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the peppers soften and aromatics release their fragrance, taking care not to burn the garlic or ginger.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: Add the marinade mixture to the wok and stir well. Cook for about one minute until the sauce starts bubbling and thickens slightly.
- Toss Beef in Sauce: Transfer the crispy air-fried beef strips into the wok with the sauce and vegetables. Toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly. Cook together for another minute until everything is piping hot and well combined.
- Serve: Serve the chilli beef garnished with the green parts of the spring onions scattered over the top. Optionally, provide extra sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- For extra tenderness, marinate the beef for several hours or overnight.
- Adjust the amount of red chilli to control the heat level.
- Use rice wine vinegar for a more authentic Asian flavor or white wine vinegar if unavailable.
- The air fryer helps achieve crispiness with less oil than traditional frying methods.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus up to 24 hours marinating time optional)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Keywords: crispy chilli beef, air fryer beef recipe, Asian beef stir fry, quick beef dinner, spicy beef recipe, air fryer Asian dish
