Crispy Sweet & Sticky Asian Beef

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. Beef (any type of beef works…Sirloin, flank or skirt steak)
1 C. Potato starch (divided in half)
(can be substituted with corn starch, but it won’t be as crispy)
Beef Marinade
1 sm. Onion
2 cloves Garlic
4–5 slices Ginger (sliced thin, 2–3 mm)
1 t. Light soy sauce (reduced sodium)

Sweet and Sticky Sauce:
3/4 C. Honey
1/4 C. & 2 T. Light soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1/2 C. Water
1 T. Hoisin sauce
1/2 T. Rice vinegar
1 T. Sesame oil
1 T. Cooking wine
5 t. Cornstarch (for cornstarch slurry thickener)
6 t. Water (for cornstarch slurry thickener)

Garnish & Toppings (Optional):
1–2 stalks Green onion (sliced on the bias)
Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions:
Marinate the Beef:

1. Slice the steak into 1 cm wide strips and place it in a bowl. (If your steak is more than 1 cm thick, cut the strips in half again length-wise)
2. In a food processor, blitz the onion, garlic, and ginger until it is a paste. (If you do not have a food processor, you can grate them or chop it very finely by hand, just make sure the ginger bits are very tiny)
3. Add the marinade and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the beef and mix well and marinade it in the fridge for 1 hour (or 20-30 minutes in room temperature)

Deep Frying the Beef:

1. After the beef has marinated, dust 1/2 cup of potato starch (or cornstarch) on the beef and use your fingers to loosely coat the beef with it. Let it sit for 10 minutes
2. While you are waiting for the meat, heat up a heavy bottom pot (or wok) set the temperature of the oil to 375F (191C) (or medium heat) and add at least 1 inch of oil and wait for it to get hot.
3. Once the beef has sat for 10 minutes, dust the other 1/2 cup of potato starch (or cornstarch) on the beef again to lightly re-coat the beef and lightly dust off any excess starch. Deep-fry it immediately.
4. Using your fingers separate the beef if they are clumped together and deep fry it in the oil in small batches (make sure the oil is hot but not smoking – to test if the oil is hot enough, add 1 small piece of beef first and see if it instantly sizzles)
5. Deep fry the beef for 1-2 minutes, and remove it from the pot onto a plate with parchment paper or newspaper.
6. Once all the beef has been cooked once (first fry), add all of it back in for the second deep fry for 1 more minute.
7. Sweet & Sticky Sauce Time!
8. Remove all the oil from the pot and set it back on the stove on medium low heat
9. Add in all the sauce ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry ingredients.
10. Stir until everything is combined well and wait until it comes to a low rolling boil
11. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water to make a cornstarch slurry and add it into the sauce and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened. Turn off the heat.
12. Add in the crispy beef and coat it with the sauce
13. Serve immediately. Enjoy with a nice Coconut Jasmine rice

Enjoy, Dean Stefanic