As the cold season settles in, our bodies crave warmth and nourishment. What if you could enjoy a dish that not only heats you from within but also delivers a powerful antioxidant boost? Enter Spicy Pepper Beef – a sizzling, aromatic creation that will energize your senses and become your go-to winter comfort food. This isn’t just another beef recipe; it’s a flavor explosion backed by nutritional science, featuring peppers rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and capsanthin, all renowned for fighting free radicals. While it’s a celebration for your taste buds and skin, those with sensitive stomachs should enjoy it in moderation due to its bold character.
The Soul of the Dish: Mastering the Blistered Pepper
The true magic of this recipe lies in transforming simple green chili peppers. They are dry-fried in a scorching pan until their skins blister and blacken, releasing a smoky, almost wild fragrance that permeates the entire kitchen. This process, known as “blistering” or “charring,” isn’t just for aroma; it deepens the flavor profile, mellowing the pepper’s raw heat into a complex, rounded pungency. This layer of blistered peppers forms the irreplaceable soul of the dish, a foundation upon which all other ingredients build.
Creating the Heartbeat: The Homemade Blistered Pepper Sauce
Why buy when you can create a vibrant, fresh sauce at home? Our homemade Blistered Pepper Sauce is surprisingly simple yet delivers restaurant-quality depth. 
- Finely chop the blistered peppers.
- Combine them in a bowl with minced garlic, salt, soy sauce, oyster sauce, aromatic vinegar, and a hint of sugar.
- The final act: pour sizzling hot oil over the mixture. The dramatic sizzle unlocks and melds all the flavors, creating a versatile sauce that is spicy, savory, tangy, and utterly addictive.
The Main Event: Preparing Succulent Beef
The beef plays a starring role worthy of the bold sauce. We recommend using tender beef tenderloin slices. The secret to its velvety, restaurant-soft texture is a quick velveting marinade:
- Coat the beef slices with a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, egg white, cooking wine, and a water-starch slurry (a key Chinese technique for tenderizing).
- A final drizzle of oil seals in the moisture.
This ensures the beef cooks in seconds within the bubbling broth, remaining incredibly tender and juicy.
Why This Dish Wins Winter
A steaming pot of Spicy Pepper Beef is more than a meal; it’s an experience. It fights the winter chill with its warmth, boosts your well-being with its nutrients, and delights your soul with its layered, robust taste. The heat is not merely aggressive; it’s a sophisticated blend of intensity and smoothness, making every bite deeply satisfying. It’s the culinary victory you need on a cold day.
Ready to Cook? Here’s Your Detailed Recipe
Spicy Pepper Beef
Ingredients:
- 750g beef tenderloin, sliced
- 300g long green chili peppers
- 1 bunch enoki mushrooms
- Minced garlic, minced ginger
- Optional: fresh red chili for garnish
Marinade for Beef:
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp egg white
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 2 tbsp water-starch slurry (mix 1 tbsp potato starch with 1 tbsp water)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
For the Blistered Pepper Sauce:
- Blistered and chopped peppers
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp aromatic black vinegar
- 1/3 tsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp hot cooking oil
For the Broth:
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp Blistered Pepper Sauce
- 600ml water
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
Instructions:
1、Marinate the sliced beef with all the marinade ingredients for 15 minutes.
2、Remove stems from peppers. Dry-fry them in a hot, oil-free pan over medium heat until skin is blistered. Remove, chop finely.
3、Make the sauce: Combine chopped peppers with all sauce ingredients except hot oil. Pour the hot oil over the mixture and stir well.
4、Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over high heat. Sauté garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add 3 tbsp of the prepared pepper sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
5、Pour in water, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp oyster sauce. Bring to a boil.
6、Reduce heat to low, add enoki mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute.
7、Increase heat to high. Add the marinated beef slices, spreading them out. Cook for about 40 seconds until just turned opaque, then remove from heat.
8、Transfer everything to a deep serving bowl. Top with an additional spoonful of the raw pepper sauce and garnish with fresh chili slices. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
