This fast dinner utilizing beef mince channels Thai chilli basil stir fry vibes (besides, no basil!) with poke bowl versatility (besides, no dear uncooked fish!). The candy chilli drizzle sauce ties all of it collectively, and provides you the flex to make use of any uncooked or cooked veg aspect. Jumble all of it up and dig in!
About these Thai Candy Chilli Beef Bowls
I want I might inform you at this time’s recipe is an genuine Thai homecooked meal, lovingly ready day-after-day by 1000’s of households throughout Thailand…..
But it surely’s not (not less than, to not my data). It’s simply one thing I made up, fast to make, versatile and an amazing all-rounder that can please choosy younger eaters in addition to those that contemplate themselves connoisseurs of South East Asian meals. As a result of though it isn’t genuine, it’s made with staple Thai stir fry substances (oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic, sugar) so the flavour is fairly* legit.
It’s actually tasty. I hope you adore it!
* I say “fairly” legit as a result of I’ve dialled up the velocity issue by utilizing candy chilli sauce as a substitute of contemporary chilli + garlic + sugar + thickener. It completely works!
Components
Right here’s what you have to make this. NOTE: There’s a good few repeat substances!
The sauces
We’re making two sauces at this time – one for cooking and one for drizzling. Widespread substances, however they style completely different as a result of cooking the sauce modifications the flavour – it intensifies and caramelises. However, the drizzle sauce is more energizing.
Candy chilli sauce – Simply your common on a regular basis candy chilli sauce from common grocery shops. I take advantage of Trident which is a typical model right here in Australia. There isn’t a must search out a legit Asian model (until you need to!). Regardless of the phrase “chilli” within the title, it’s not spicy, it’s simply candy, although there may be refined chilli flavour in it.
Fish sauce – Pungent within the bottle however great when cooked, can’t style fishiness in any respect! You simply find yourself with tasty savoury saltiness – extra fascinating than salt, soy and so on. We additionally use it within the drizzle sauce however not very a lot. If uncooked fish sauce scares you, a) I assume you don’t like Vietnamese meals (as a result of it’s abundantly utilized in uncooked kind in Vietnamese sauces!) b) simply use soy as a substitute.
Darkish soy sauce – This stains the meat a beautiful wealthy color and provides tasty soy flavour in a approach you don’t get with common or mild soy sauce. However, if you happen to don’t have darkish soy sauce, you should use both of those (although the meat received’t be as darkish). There might be a contact much less flavour too however don’t be involved, the drizzle sauce will make up for it.
Rice vinegar – To steadiness out the candy and savoury within the stir fry sauce. Substitute with cider vinegar.
Lime juice – I selected to make use of this for the drizzle sauce fairly than vinegar as a result of it’s more energizing. However if you happen to don’t have lime or it’s extortionate (which it may be at occasions right here in Australia) and also you need to reserve it in your G&T (I get it), substitute with rice vinegar. It’s not an enormous deal, I promise. ?
Garlic – For the drizzle sauce. (We sauté garlic for the meat).
PS With a good few frequent substances, I assumed I might make one double-duty sauce. I did attempt, and it was okay, nevertheless it was higher making two separate ones with completely different ratios of every ingredient. So sorry, you want two separate bowls!
For the meat stir fry
All you want for the stir fry half is beef, garlic and onion. The cashews and coriander/cilantro are for sprinkling – and there’s loads of alternate options.
Beef mince – Use any fats % you need. The fattier it’s, the stronger the meat flavour and the juicier the stir fry.
Different proteins – I haven’t tried however I’m assured this is able to be very tasty with hen, turkey and pork. Not satisfied lamb works – however I might simply be swayed.
Garlic and onion – I problem you to discover a stir fry on my web site that doesn’t embody these!
Cashews – A great sprinkle of chopped toasted cashews is such a tasty completion! Elevates this from “yum” to “I would like seconds!”. Peanuts would work as nicely, or almonds. For a no nut choice, I’d most likely go for crispy fried shallots (purchase them).
Coriander/cilantro – Beautiful contemporary contact. I take advantage of a good quantity as a result of I really like the flavour of coriander, it’s a Thai meals important! Substitute with inexperienced onion.
Rice and vegetable/salad sides
There’s no uncooked fish in sight, however except for this it’s the same idea to a poke bowl. It’s served over rice, it’s obtained a sauce, and it really works with uncooked or cooked greens. The candy chilli drizzle sauce primarily acts as a salad dressing which suggests you may actually use any vegetable you need.
It’s pictured all through this put up with cucumbers and crimson onion tossed with coriander (conserving with the Thai vibes!), however assume – blanched broccoli florets, shredded carrot or cabbage, sliced radish, blanched asparagus, finely sliced kale, cherry tomatoes, edamame or peas.
As for the rice – I’ve used jasmine (on-theme for the Thai flavours) although any plain rice or noodles will work. Fake rice, likecauliflower rice, quinoa (cook dinner instructions right here) or these new fangled low-cal-faux rice choices offered at grocery shops today, can be used.
How one can make it
Don’t skip toasting the cashews. It actually goes a protracted technique to improve the nut flavour!
Drizzle sauce – Combine the substances in a small bowl.
Stir fry sauce – And blend these substances in a separate bowl.
Toast cashews – Toss the cashews in a dry pan for a couple of minutes till you may odor them and there’s little golden spots on the cashews.
Chop – Allow them to cool then roughly chop them so you have got some bigger items and a few “mud”.
Sauté the onion and garlic for a minute till the onion is sort of translucent. (We’re on excessive warmth now, velocity is our good friend). The onion will cook dinner via extra with the meat.
Beef – Add the meat and cook dinner it, breaking it up as you go, till you may now not see crimson. Then add the sauce and maintain cooking till the sauce principally reduces, the meat is scorching and it will get good color on it. Don’t skimp on this step because the caramelisation of the sauce on the meat is the place the flavour is! It should take about 2 – 3 minutes on a robust range, or 3 – 4 minutes on a weaker range.
Juicy and attractive! Right here’s what it appears like. The meat is a beautiful wealthy brown color nevertheless it’s nonetheless “juicy” due to the candy chilli sauce.
Assemble bowls – Spoon the meat over steaming rice. Pile greens of alternative on the aspect (uncooked or cooked, extra on this above), douse with the Drizzle sauce, sprinkle with coriander and cashews. Then it’s meal time!
Consuming etiquette
And at last, a vital matter – the consuming etiquette. When it’s first positioned in entrance of you, take a second to admire it. So fairly and vibrant!
Then dive in and blend all of it up. Combine with vigour! In case you are not flicking cashew bits and rice on the desk, are you actually dwelling? Embrace the chaos, as a result of the higher it’s jumbled, the extra fulfilling each single chew might be.
Carry on the scrumptious mess!! – Nagi x
Thai candy chilli beef bowls FAQ
Not an excessive amount of truly! Made it as soon as, discovered it a bit bland and never sufficient flavour as soon as jumbled via the rice. So I added the drizzle sauce and that labored a deal with. It’s a reasonably simple recipe in comparison with some!
This was one of many quickest recipes I’ve created in 2024! As famous above, I made it as soon as, thought it was tasty and I used to be proud of it. I actually appreciated the flexibility ie how one can add any greens, uncooked or contemporary, to finish the meal.
So then I made it once more to {photograph} it, and once more to movie it. So a grand complete of three occasions. That’s the minimal for any recipe I share on my web site. It’s additionally a really low threat recipe so I didn’t really feel the necessity to maintain making it to enhance or clear up “downside areas”.
Sure you may! There may be sufficient sauce add a carrot and zucchini, grated and cooked up with the meat.
I haven’t tried however assured it’s nice with hen, turkey and pork. Unsure about lamb, it’s not a quite common protein utilized in Thai delicacies. I could possibly be incorrect – drop a observe if you happen to do this with lamb!
The recipe will certainly work however I’m not precisely certain concerning the amount. The factor is, sliced meats have quite a bit much less floor space than a gazillion little bits of crumbled mince meat so often, you want much less sauce. However generally, you want extra, to get a pleasant glaze on the floor!
I totally intend to do a sliced hen model of this recipe early in 2025, so be affected person! ?
You certain can! However I’m not precisely certain how a lot tofu is the correct quantity for the sauce. You may wing it – simply add the sauce little by little, and be ready to combine up extra if wanted. Keep in mind the drizzle sauce provides additional flavour too.
PS Use agency tofu as it is going to crumble up like mince. When finished proper, it’s very tasty! Proof right here.
I’d not hesitate to serve this over noodles, wrapped in rice paper (rice paper rolls), stuffed into lettuce wraps, roti (assume – Asian burritos!) and even in delicate white rolls or steamed Asian buns (bao buns!).
I’d even make banh-mi sort rolls – stuff the meat into crusty white rolls with shredded or finely sliced greens, Asian pickles, and use the drizzle sauce because the Banh Mi sauce. YES! (Recommend utilizing the Hen Banh Mi for inspiration).
Watch learn how to make it
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Thai Candy Chilli Beef Bowls
Prep: 13 minutes
Prepare dinner: 7 minutes
Complete: 20 minutes
Predominant
Western
Servings4
Faucet or hover to scale
Components
Candy chilli stir fry sauce:
Candy chilli drizzle sauce:
Stop display from sleeping
Directions
Abbreviated recipe
Combine every sauce. Toast cashews, sauté onion + garlic 1 min, then cook dinner beef. Add sauce, cook dinner till decreased/caramelised, serve over rice with veg on aspect. Spoon over drizzle sauce, high with cashews and coriander.
Full recipe:
Drizzle sauce – Combine the substances in a bowl, put aside.
Stir fry sauce – Combine the substances in a separate bowl, put aside.
Toast cashews – Warmth a big non-stick pan over medium excessive warmth. Add the cashews and toast for two minutes. Switch to a reducing board then roughly chop as soon as cool.
Prepare dinner beef – Warmth the oil in the identical pan over excessive warmth. Add the garlic and onion, cook dinner for 1 minute. Add the meat and cook dinner, breaking it up as you go, till you now not see uncooked meat.
Sauce it! Add the cooking sauce and cook dinner nicely, stirring, till it principally reduces down so the sauce caramelises on the meat, about 3 – 4 minutes. (Do not shortcut this step, it is the place the flavour is!)
Serve the meat over rice with a aspect of veg. Douse every thing with the sauce, high with cashews and coriander (contemporary chilli would not go astray both). To eat, jumble every thing up then dig in!
Recipe Notes:
2. Fish sauce – It’s smelly within the bottle, nevertheless it cooks out so don’t be scared! It’s the key ingredient that provides extra flavour than different salty issues like salt, soy and so on. For those who actually should sub, use all-purpose soy or mild soy (NOT darkish soy, too intense).
3. Oyster sauce – Equally smelly (but additionally candy), however is a flavour shortcut. Don’t skip it. Sub vegetarian oyster sauce (sure, such a factor exists!).
4. Darkish soy sauce offers the meat an attractive deep brown color in addition to including tasty soy flavour. Substitute with all function or mild soy sauce, although the meat received’t be as darkish. Whereas the flavour will even be rather less, it’s okay right here as a result of the drizzle sauce will reserve it!
5. Veg – The drizzle sauce will make any veg tasty, whether or not uncooked (like cucumber pictured, shredded cabbage, carrot, leafy greens, radish) or cooked (simply plain steamed or blanched, like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, peas). Suppose: poke bowl scenario!
6. Leftover beef will maintain for 3 to 4 days within the fridge, 3 months within the freezer. Nice meal prep if you happen to use steamed veg as a result of every thing within the might be reheated (although I wouldn’t maintain cooked rice longer than 3 days in fridge). Greatest to maintain the drizzle sauce separate, if you happen to can.
Vitamin per serving, assuming lean beef is used, 1 cup cooked rice, all of the drizzle sauce and pictured cucumber aspect. 206 energy is from the rice, so swap it out with decrease cal / decrease carb alternate options if you wish to scale back the energy (eg cauliflower rice).
Vitamin Data:
Energy: 585cal (29%)Carbohydrates: 62g (21%)Protein: 33g (66%)Fats: 22g (34%)Saturated Fats: 7g (44%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 2gMonounsaturated Fats: 11gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 81mg (27%)Sodium: 1617mg (70%)Potassium: 657mg (19%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 13g (14%)Vitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 6mg (7%)Calcium: 58mg (6%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Extra Asian meals made utilizing beef mince
It doesn’t should be Spag Bol each single evening!
Lifetime of Dozer
I ought to retitle this part “greed of Dozer” as a result of I needed to take him into the emergency vet hospital final evening after I caught him chowing down fertiliser (which might be poisonous to canines). ? Fortunately, it wasn’t chemical fertiliser (which might be actually poisonous), “simply” hen poop.
As punishment for his greed, he’s reverting to a bland boiled-veg-chicken weight loss program for the subsequent short while, as a precaution. And I’ve publicly shamed him on this house video:
And additional shaming within the household WhatsApp thread:
Will report again in a couple of days however no alarming indicators at this stage. Thanks once more SASH (Dr Erin!), for treating him!