Ingredients
Beef Mixture
- 400 grams beef, thinly sliced
- ¾ teaspoon bicarb soda
Seasoning Mixture
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon tumeric
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Satay Sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon lemongrass paste
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons sriracha (optional)
Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 capsicum, julienned
Instructions
Preparing the Beef
- Place the thinly sliced beef in a bowl with the bicarb soda and stir to evenly coat. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Rinse the beef well, and then pat dry with a paper towel. Place into a clean bowl.
Seasoning
- Combine all the seasoning ingredients together.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture over the beef and stir to incorporate.
Satay Sauce
- Combine all the satay sauce ingredients together in a bowl, except for the water. Add the remaining seasoning mixture. Stir to combine. Add the water and mix.
Stir Fry
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat.
- Add the beef and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until just cooked through.
- Add the carrots and capsicum and stir fry for another minute.
- Lower the heat to a medium temperature and then add in the sauce.
- Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has reduced down and become thicker.
- Serve immediately with rice.
When you think of satay beef, what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you frequent a Chinese restaurant often, you are probably thinking about thinly sliced tender succulent beef, combined with an amazing mix of julienned vegetables, all sitting in a delectable satay sauce. Typically served with some steamed rice to soak up all the amazing flavor.
There are many different variations of satay, all with different flavor profiles. I like to think this recipe is closer to what you would find in a Chinese restaurant, over what you might find if you went for a Malaysian, Thai or Indonesian style satay. And while it might not be exactly the same as what you would get with Chinese takeaway, the flavors I have developed with this recipe are incredibly tasty and super easy to make.
This recipe has now become one of my favorite go-to stir fry recipes. It is easy to prepare midweek and uses ingredients I typically always have on hand in the pantry. The added bonus is that you know exactly what you are putting into the dish, something you don’t get when using sauces from a jar.
Preparing the Beef
For the beef, I typically use a nice thick rump steak, it’s a cheaper cut of meat but work greats for this dish. If your not a fan of beef, don’t stress, this recipe goes amazing with chicken also (follow the recipe the same, just substitute in the chicken for the beef).
Place the beef in the freezer to start for about 15-20 minutes. This will firm it up slightly, making it easier to slice. Use a sharp knife to get nice thin slices, and then place the beef into a mixing bowl.
If you wonder how Chinese restaurants get their beef so tender, the secret is through a process known as velveting. There is several different ways you can velvet beef, but the simplest I have found is to add a small amount of bicarb to the the beef and let it sit for about 20 minutes.
After the beef has rested, rinse off the bicarb, pat the beef dry, and when you cook the beef you will be left with amazing soft and tender beef at the end.
The Seasoning Mix
The seasoning mix is a mixture of coriander, cumin, tumeric, curry powder, salt and pepper. For the curry powder, I personally prefer the Clive of India brand, but use your favorite or whatever it is you have on hand.
The seasoning powders are all combined together in a bowl. One teaspoon of the seasoning mixture is mixed in with the beef mixture. The remainder of the seasoning blend will be mixed in with the satay sauce.
The Satay Sauce
Mix together some peanut butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemongrass paste and coconut milk. For additional heat, you can also add in sriracha to this mix.
Add in the remaining seasoning mixture and then some water. Mix all of this together to get your satay sauce. Set the sauce aside until your ready to use it.
The Stir Fry
A stir fry is quick cooking process. You want to ensure everything is ready to go before you start cooking. So before you start to stir fry, ensure you beef is ready, your satay sauce has been made and all your vegetables are cut up ready to go.
I prefer sticking to julienned carrot and capsicum, but feel free to add in your favorite mix of veggies. If you do decide to do this, you will need to consider when you add each vegetable to the pan, allowing additional cooking time for thicker vegetables.
Start by heating your wok on a high heat, and adding in your oil. Next, take your beef and add it to the hot pan, stir-frying it for about 2 minutes, until it’s just cooked through.
Following this, add in your thinly julienned vegetables. Stir-frying for another minute or two. Lastly, pour in your sauce mixture, and stir fry until the sauce has reduced down slightly and become thicker. This typically takes about another minute.
Serve immediately with steamed rice and garnish with a sprinkle of some fresh coriander.
