Make 'better than takeaway' crispy chilli beef for £1.50 with air fryer hack - The Mirror

You can make your own delicious takeaway style crispy chilli beef with this easy BBC Foods recipe - and all you need is some beef and some ingredients you most likely already have in the cupboard

A takeaway can be a real treat - but it's no secret they can be a little pricey. So for those wanting to indulge in their favourite foods without breaking the bank, this crispy chilli beef recipe is exactly what you need.

For just £1.50 a pop, people say this recipe is "better than a takeaway" and all you need is a trusty airfryer and some cupboard essentials. The secret to getting that authentic 'takeaway crunch' without a deep fat fryer is a simple pantry staple: cornflour and the beef can be bought from Sainsbury's for £3 a pack.

This BBC Foods recipe serves two - which makes it a cheap and cheerful dish and perfect for a cosy weekend in. One fan said it was "by far the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted outside of a restaurant" while another added: "Great version of our normal Asian takeaway. The whole family loved it. Would recommend. Preparation was the key."

Ingredients

• 250g thin-cut minute steak thinly sliced into strips
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus a drizzle
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 red chilli thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper cut into chunks
• 4 spring onions sliced, green and white parts separated
• 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup

For the marinade

• ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar

Method

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the steak strips and toss to coat. Leave in the fridge for up to 24 hours if you can, or carry on to step 2.
• Sprinkle the cornflour over the steak and mix until each piece is coated in a floury paste. Pull the strips apart and arrange over a plate. Drizzle each piece of steak with a little oil. Heat the air fryer to 220C if it has a preheat setting.
• Carefully put the beef on the cooking rack in the air fryer, cook for 6 mins, then turn and cook for another 4-6 mins until crispy.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the garlic, ginger, chilli, pepper and white ends of the spring onions for 2-3 mins until the pepper softens. Be careful not to burn the ginger and garlic. Add the vinegar, soy, sweet chilli sauce and tomato ketchup, mix well and cook for another minute until bubbling.
• Tip the beef into the wok and toss through the sauce. Continue cooking for another minute until piping hot, then serve scattered with the spring onion greens and a little extra sauce on the side.