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Crispy Chilli Beef Rice

Crispy chilli beef rice with shatteringly crispy beef strips coated in a glossy red-orange sweet-spicy chilli sauce. Piled over fluffy white rice and finished with green onion and sesame seeds for a takeout-style crunchy beef rice bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and coating
  • 1 lb flank steak Sliced very thin for crisping.
  • 0.3333 cup cornstarch Helps the beef turn shatter-crisp when fried.
  • Salt and black pepper Use to season the cornstarch coating.
  • Oil for frying Enough for about 1/2 inch in the cooking pot.
Aromatics and sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 red chilli Sliced (or use chilli flakes per preference).
  • 0.25 cup sweet chilli sauce For the glossy sauce.
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce Adds savory depth.
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar Brightens the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar Balances heat with sweetness.
  • 1 tsp sesame oil Added to round out flavor.
Serving
  • Cooked rice Fluffy white rice, for serving.
  • green onions Chopped, for garnish.
  • sesame seeds For finishing.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Coat the beef
  1. Toss the sliced flank steak with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until the beef is well coated and looks dry-sticky at the edges.
  2. Heat enough oil for 1/2 inch deep in a deep pot or Dutch oven until it reaches 350°F, indicated by active bubbling around a tiny beef piece.
Fry until extremely crispy
  1. Fry the beef in batches for 2–3 minutes per batch at 350°F, until the strips are extremely crispy and golden, then drain on paper towels.
Make and simmer the chilli sauce
  1. Mix the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil together until smooth.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or skillet, then cook the minced garlic and sliced red chilli for 30 seconds, until fragrant and sizzling.
  3. Add the chilli sauce mixture and simmer for 1 minute, until it looks glistening and slightly thickened.
Toss and serve immediately
  1. Add the crispy beef and toss quickly to coat in the sauce so the surface turns glossy red-orange without soaking, indicated by crisp edges still showing.
  2. Serve immediately over cooked rice to preserve the crunch, then garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

For maximum crunch, fry in small batches and toss the beef with sauce at the very end—once coated, serve right away. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days, but note the beef will soften; reheat in a hot pan to re-crisp a bit. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free soy sauce in the chilli sauce.