Boiled Beef in Water (Ningxia-style)

Boiled Beef in Water (Ningxia-style)

　　Ingredients:

　　250g beef tenderloin, 150g garlic sprouts, 150g Chinese cabbage heart, 100g celery heart, 15g dried chili peppers, 40g Pixian bean paste, 200g cooking oil, 15g soy sauce, 1g MSG, 10g ginger slices, 15g garlic slices, water starch, and clear broth as needed.

　　Cooking method:

　　Cut the beef into thin slices about 5cm long and 3cm wide. Place them in a bowl, season with soy sauce and cooking wine, then mix well with water starch. Wash and prepare the garlic sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and celery, then cut them separately into 6.5cm-long sections and pieces. Heat the oil in the wok, add the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and fry until they turn brownish-red (do not burn them—just fry until fragrant and colored). Remove and chop finely. In the same oil, stir-fry the garlic sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and celery until just cooked, then transfer to a plate. Reheat the oil in the wok, add the Pixian bean paste, and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Add an appropriate amount of broth (too much will dilute the flavor; too little may cause the starch to separate and make the soup too thick), and simmer briefly. Scoop out the bean paste residue. Return the garlic sprouts, Chinese cabbage, and celery to the broth, then add soy sauce, MSG, cooking wine, ground pepper, salt, ginger slices, and garlic slices. Simmer until fully flavored, then transfer to a deep plate or lotus leaf bowl. Pour the beef slices into the lightly simmering original broth (the broth should be just simmering—if it’s not hot enough, the starch will fall apart; if it boils too vigorously, the beef will become tough). Gently separate the slices with chopsticks and immediately transfer them to the plate or bowl with the seasoned vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, then drizzle with boiling oil to enhance the rich numbing and spicy aroma.