Entree: China – Guizhou – 酸汤牛肉 ➤ Suāntāng Niúròu (Thinly sliced beef cooked briefly in a tangy, chili-scented Guizhou sour soup)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 15 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
- 4 cups (960 ml) beef or chicken stock
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fermented glutinous rice liquid or sour rice water, or substitute 3 tbsp (45 ml) rice vinegar
- 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) chopped pickled red chiles or Guizhou-style chili paste
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chili oil, plus extra for serving
- 1 tbsp (15 g) grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, smashed
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 6 dried red chilies
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground Sichuan peppercorn or 10 whole Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped pickled mustard greens or pickled bamboo shoots
- 1 tsp (4 g) sugar
- 2 scallions (approx. 30 g), sliced thin for garnish
- 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
- Salt to taste

Instructions

1. If not using fermented rice liquid, stir 3 tbsp (45 ml) rice vinegar into 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water and set aside to mimic sour rice water. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium pot.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add dried red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns and toast briefly until aromatic, 30–45 seconds. Add grated ginger and smashed garlic and stir 30 seconds; remove from heat.
3. Pour the toasted aromatics and all oil into the simmering stock along with the fermented rice liquid or rice vinegar substitute, chopped pickled chiles or chili paste, pickled mustard greens, chili oil, and sugar. Simmer gently for 12–15 minutes to develop a sour, spicy broth. Taste and adjust sourness or heat with extra vinegar or pickled chiles.
4. Meanwhile, arrange the thinly sliced beef on a chilled plate so slices are separated; season lightly with a pinch of salt.
5. Strain the broth quickly through a fine sieve into a clean pot to remove solids, return broth to a brisk simmer, and bring to a vigorous boil.
6. To serve, ladle hot sour-spicy broth into shallow bowls and immediately add a portion of beef slices, spreading them out so each slice is immersed. Let beef cook in the hot broth 20–60 seconds until just tender and no longer pink.
7. Garnish each bowl with sliced scallions, cilantro, and a drizzle of extra chili oil. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
8. Leftover broth keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat to a rolling boil before poaching more beef.