Szechuan beef is a fixture on Western Chinese restaurant menus: dark, spicy and a little sweet, with beef that's slightly crisp at the edges. It's bolder than black pepper beef and nothing like the battered crispy chilli version.
The flavour comes from doubanjiang (Sichuan chilli bean paste), soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and a pinch of Sichuan pepper. Frying the beef in a hot wok until it starts to catch gives it that takeaway chew.
Dial the heat up or down with the dried chillies. Serve with plenty of steamed rice.
