Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles
The first time I made this Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles was to serve a crowd. I popped the flank steak in the freezer while gathering the ingredients and setting my wok on the stove. About 15 (to 30) minutes in the freezer makes the steak much easier to thinly slice. Once the meat was sliced, I tossed it in the quick marinade and pulsed the shallots, peanuts and chiles into a thick paste. As with all stir-fries, my work was basically done before the meat hit the sizzling pan.
This dish was packed with flavor and a total crowd pleaser. I was afraid to hit the crowd with the suggested number of chiles when scaling the dish up, so I held back a few. Some said it was perfect, others could have taken a little more heat, so adjust the chiles (or not) depending on your audience. But whatever you do, put Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles on this week’s menu. It’s better than any takeout you might be tempted–or wishing–to order. Enjoy!
Spicy Beef with Peanuts and Chiles
- 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal against the grain
- 2 Tbls soy sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbls fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbls light brown sugar
- 1/4 c salted peanuts
- 2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
- 2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped (don’t seed)
- 3 Tbls canola or peanut oil
- 1/3 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 Tbls chopped fresh basil
- Toss the steak with 1 Tbls of the soy sauce, 1 tsp of the fish sauce, and the salt.
- Combine the remaining 1 Tbls soy sauce and 1 tsp fish sauce with 1 Tbls of the lime juice and the brown sugar and set aside.
- Pulse the peanuts, shallots, and chiles in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.
- Set a wok or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute.
- Add 1-1/2 Tbls of the oil and once it’s shimmering, add the beef.
- Cook, stirring, until the beef just loses its raw appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbls oil and the shallot mixture, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes.
- Return the beef to the pan. Stir the soy mixture and add it, along with half of the cilantro and basil, and cook, stirring to let the flavors meld, 2 minutes.
- Serve sprinkled with the remaining lime juice, cilantro, and basil.
- To get nice, thin slices of beef, put the meat in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before cutting.
- This recipe scales up nicely to serve a crowd.