Orange Beef Image Used Under Creative Commons License From kumfong.files.wordpress.com

Citizens, it is a well-known statement of fact that Hunan cuisine is one of the eight great regional cuisines of China and is well known for its hot spicy flavor, fresh aroma and deep color. When most Americans think of Hunanese cuisine, it is inevitably to orange beef that their minds turn.

Only one problem – this isn’t in fact a classic of the canon! Observant Citizens will have noted that I have not included the classic Chinese characters in the title for this recipe – and with good reason!

Although perhaps Hunan in origin, this recipe is really an example of New-York Chinese food. Much like Lemon Chicken, this is in fact a westernized recipe! First attributed to master chef T.T. Wang of Hunan Restaurant on Second Avenue in New York, it was created in 1971. Crispy orange flavored beef and crispy sea bass Hunan-style were in fact both attributed to Wang and his restaurant.

Most commonly experienced as a chicken dish in most countries in the western hemisphere, the names “orange chicken”, “orange chicken peel”, “orange flavored chicken”, and “tangerine chicken” are typically used for this particular dish.

In Chinese, however, the classic dish is always known as “陳皮雞”, literally “Dried Citrus peel chicken”, referring to dried orange or tangerine peel, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine as well as cooking. For restaurants outside of Asia, fresh orange peel is often used instead, or even no peel at all.

Citizens, given that this is a hybrid “West-East” dish, I have chosen to use fresh orange peel in the recipe as it was first presented in NYC in the 70’s. In further nods to the West, I have also upped the orange quotient by using a hit of Grand Marnier and have marinated the beef in vermouth, as I find its herbaceous qualities lend themselves very nicely to the balance of flavors in this dish.

Lastly, I’ve balanced out the flavors with several different Chinese vinegars and ditched the inedible whole dried chilies one typically finds. I have instead added hot chili paste and a touch of minced Thai chili.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Hunan Crispy Orange Beef

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Ingredients

To Marinate And Cook Beef:
8 ounces flank steak, cut into slivers 1-inch long by ½ inch wide by ¼-inch thin.
½ tsp baking soda
3 tbsp vermouth
½ tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
Pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup of fresh orange rind that has been julienned into 1-inch lengths
3 ½ cups peanut oil
1 tbsp egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp cornstarch
For Sauce:
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon sweetened Chinese black vinegar
1 Tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (or use one additional black, if you can't find it)
1 Tablespoon shaoxing wine (or substitute dry sherry)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
For Aromatics:
½ cup scallions, sliced diagonally into ½ inch pieces, white part only
¼ cup finely julienned ginger and sliced garlic - i.e. 1/8 cup of each
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 ½ teaspoons Szechuan chili paste
1 fresh Thai chili, minced

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the steak, baking soda and vermouth, and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or preferably overnight.
After marinating, wash thoroughly, twice, with cold water. Drain and dry with paper towels. Place the beef in a bowl, add the egg white, and mix well until the beef is coated. Add the shaoxing, white pepper, 1 tbsp peanut oil and cornstarch, mixing with your hand each time an ingredient is added. Allow to rest for 1 hour, refrigerated. There should be no residue.
In a hot wok, add the peanut oil and heat to 400 deg F. Place the beef strips, one at a time, in the oil and cook for 1 ½ minutes, loosening the beef with a spatula. Remove with a strainer and drain. Heat the oil again to 425 deg F. Place the beef strips back in the oil and cook for 2 minutes, until the beef becomes crisp. Remove and allow to drain.
In a bowl, mix sugar, vinegars, shaoxing, soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.
Drain off all but 1 tablespoon oil from the wok and heat over high heat for 20 seconds.
Add scallions, ginger, garlic, beef, minced Thai chili, sesame oil, shaoxing-soy sauce blend, orange rind, Grand Marnier and chili paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

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The Hirshon Hunan Crispy Orange Beef

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