Air Fryer Crispy Chilli Beef

Air Fryer Crispy Chilli Beef Recipe

Use your air fryer to whip up crispy chilli beef for dinner. It takes just 30 minutes to make. The Air Fryer Crispy Chilli Beef recipe is a must-try for any lover of spicy and crispy dishes. With the help of an air fryer, you can achieve that perfect golden brown and crispy texture without the need for excessive oil. The combination of the marinade, sauce, and aromatic ingredients creates a dish that is bursting with flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole garlic
• 2 Birdseye chillies
• 200–300 g rump steak
• 200 g cornflour seasoned with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger
• 20 g coriander leaves and stems
• Handful dried red chillis
• Vegetable oil for frying

The Marinade

• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 egg

The Sauce

• ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 6 tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar
• 4 tbsp honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

1. Spray the whole garlic with oil and pop into the Air Fryer. Select Roast and set the time to 20mins and temperature to 160°C.
2. Soak the dried chillis in a bowl of water whilst the garlic roasts. When the garlic finishes, remove from the air frying drawer and drain the chillis and place inside. Select Roast again, for 3 minutes at 160°C.
3. Cut the meat into thin strips roughly 3mm wide and place in a mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and, using your hands, massage the pieces until they are evenly coated. Then add the seasoned cornflour and massage into the meat. The meat will first stick together in clumps, but as you continue adding cornflour, each piece of meat will start to separate completely. Once all the meat has separated and the pieces are dry and dusty white, they are ready to be air-fried.
4. Finely dice the ginger, garlic and chillies and finely chop the coriander.
5. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
6. Build your WOK CLOCK; place your meat bowl at 12 o’clock, then arrange the garlic, chilli, sauce bowl and coriander clockwise around your plate.

Cooking

1. Spray the air fryer basket and the beef with a little oil. Select Air Fry and set the temperature to 205°C and the time to 4 mins. This is your ‘first fry.’
2. When the cooking program finishes, open the drawer and spray the beef again,
3. Put the drawer back in and select Air Fry and set the temperature to 205°C and the time to 5 mins. This is your ‘second fry.’
4. In a separate wok, heat ½ tablespoon vegetable oil over a high heat until smoking hot. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli, lower the heat to medium and stir-fry for 30 seconds until slightly crispy and fragrant.
5. Pour over the sauce mixture and bring to a vigorous boil, then add the crispy meat and give the wok two or three tosses to mix everything together.
6. Spoon into a serving bowl and scatter over the coriander to finish. Serve immediately.

NOTES

Tip: Popping your rump steak in the freezer 30 minutes before slicing will harden the meat and make it much easier to cut into even-size pieces.