Sichuan minced beef with celery

Ingredients

• 500 g ground beef
• 450 g celery stalks
• 2 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy Sichuan broad bean paste)
• 20 g fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 8 pieces dried red chilis
• 1 tsp whole Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 sprigs scallion (green onion)
• 280 g short-grain or sushi rice

Method

1. Rinse the rice and cook it using your usual method, so it is ready at the same time as the stir-fry.
2. Wash the celery, peel the strings with a vegetable peeler if the stalks are fibrous, then cut it into thin half-centimeter pieces on the bias.
3. Peel and finely mince the ginger, peel and thinly slice the garlic, and thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
4. Cut the dried chilis into segments and roughly seed them, then lightly crush the Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar or with the flat side of a knife.
5. Heat the wok over very high heat until it smokes slightly, pour in the neutral oil, and swirl it to coat the sides.
6. Add the ground beef and immediately spread it across the bottom of the wok, breaking it up with a spatula: let it sear undisturbed until browned, then break apart any clumps to achieve a very dry, crumbly texture.
7. When the meat is deeply browned and the fat has rendered, push it up the sides of the wok, and add the dried chilis and Sichuan peppercorns to the center to sizzle for a few seconds.
8. Add the doubanjiang, ginger, and garlic: stir-fry briefly until the oil takes on a beautiful red color and the aromas bloom, stirring constantly so the paste does not burn.
9. Toss in the celery and scallion whites, and stir-fry briskly over high heat until the celery is just tender but still crunchy.
10. Deglaze with the Shaoxing wine, scraping the bottom of the wok. Add the soy sauce and sugar, mix well, and let reduce until the sauce coats the meat and celery without leaving excess liquid.
11. Taste and adjust the saltiness with soy sauce if needed, then off the heat, drizzle with sesame oil and scatter with the scallion greens.
12. Serve immediately piping hot over white rice.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

721.5 kcal

Protein

32.66 g

Carbohydrate

62.16 g

Fat

36.13 g

Fibre

4.9 g

Calcium

68.72 mg

Iron

2.43 mg

Magnesium

59.49 mg