Air Fryer
Cumin beef and cucumber salad
These crispy cumin beef and smashed cucumber rice bowls come together in 20 minutes, making the perfect weeknight dinner!
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp sichuan peppercorns
- 600g/1lb 5oz flank, hangar or bavette steak, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine (optional)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 piece ginger (approx. 5cm/2in), peeled and grated
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp honey
- rice, to serve
- 1 cucumber
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 tsp chilli oil or chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Directions:
- To make the beef, add the cumin seeds and Sichuan peppercorn to a pestle and mortar and grind to a coarse powder.
- Add the steak to a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine (if using), 1 teaspoon of the ground cumin and Sichuan peppercorns, brown sugar and salt and mix well.
- To make the cucumber salad, bash the cucumber with a rolling pin then chop it into random sized chunks.
- Add to a bowl with the garlic, chilli oil and rice wine vinegar and mix well. Top with the toasted sesame seeds.
- Heat a wok on a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Fry the marinated steak until nicely seared and a little charred – about 4–5 minutes, remove to a plate and set aside.
- Return the wok to a high heat, add the remaining oil and once hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the onion, peppers, remaining ground cumin and Sichuan peppercorns and chilli flakes and stir fry until browned.
- Return the steak to the pan along with the remaining soy sauce and honey. Toss together and cook for 3–5 minutes.
- Serve on steaming hot rice with the cucumber salad.