How to make a spicy, ‘ma la’ Cumin Beef stir fry.

Today, we’re making an easy Cumin Beef Stir Fry a deliciously fragrant cumin-spiced stir fry with a kick of numbingness from Sichuan peppercorns and oh-so-addictive. I was inspired by Cumin Lamb Noodles, and had to attempt an easier version with beef. I feel super excited whenever I make this, because it’s such an explosion of flavour. Apart from the Sichuan Peppercorns, the ingredients are easy to find. If you can’t find Sichuan Peppercorns, just skip it. You won’t miss much from the numbingness. It’s still so fragrant from the cumin, and spicy from the bird’s eye chillies. Addictive. Trust me.

‘Ma La’

‘Ma La’ means numbing (Ma) and spicy (La), and it refers to a fun numbing sensation in the mouth. Typically comes in a super oily sauce, this stir fry is not as oil-intense, and easier to accomplish. Here the ‘Ma’ is achieved by the Sichuan Peppercorns, and the ‘La’ by the Bird’s Eye Chillies. You can also use dried chillies in place of bird’s eye chillies, but I prefer the intense spice of the bird’s eyes.

Dry Toasting the Spices

Dry toasting the spices before grinding is important to really bring out the flavours. In a pan without oil, toast the spices till fragrant. You should be able to see some oil develop on the surface of the peppercorns, and hear some fun popping and crackling. Make sure to keep a low heat, so that you do not burn the spices. Spices should make kitchen smell good!

Without dry toasting, the spices will not grind easily and finely too, so do not skip this step.

Deep Frying the Beef

In restaurants the beef is usually deep fried till crispy, but I find this one-pan stir fried version more practical (and easier). Deep fry the beef and add before the sauce if that’s what you like.

Preparing the Beef

I used a cheap cut of beef, and to prepare it for the stir fry, slice it thinly, against the grain at a 45 degree angle. This is going to get you a more tender chew. This recipe is interchangeable with lamb, with no change in directions and cooking times.

Sauce

Using stock is really going to help to boost the flavour, and sort of replace Shaoxing Wine (which I do not cook with). Beef or chicken stock will work, though if hard pressed, simply use water.

Rice vinegar is a milder acid and more sweet than regular vinegar. You can however use white vinegar – lower the quantity and up the sugar level. That said, I love a tangy sauce (goes insanely well with the ma la flavour) so when I do use white vinegar, I don’t actually add additional sugar than what the recipe calls for.

Ingredients:

300g Beef, sliced
1 Onion
1 inch Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Thai Bird’s Eye Chillies
4-5 Stalks of Cilantro
1 tsp Cornstarch + 2-3 tbsps Water
Oil for cooking
Spices, to dry toast and grind to powder
- 2 tsps Cumin
- 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
- 2 tsps Sichuan Peppercorns
Beef Marinade
- 1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1tsp Cornstarch
Sauce Bowl of Efficiency:
- 200ml Cup Beef Stock or Chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tsps Brown Sugar

Directions:

Dry toast the spice blend over low to medium heat, and grind to a powder.
Marinate beef slices, for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare sauce bowl.
In a pan, add oil and once hot, toss in onion and ginger.
Once fragrant, add garlic.
Add marinated meat next and stir fry with aromatics. Let the meat cook, and most of the liquid drawn out evaporate.
Add in the rest of the cumin spice blend, and bird’s eye chillies.
Pour in sauce and cornstarch slurry.
Let sauce bubble and thicken.
Turn off heat, and stir through coriander.