Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Spicy Firecracker Beef Recipe
It is a thrifty but wonderful dinner for all these instances it’s worthwhile to scratch your Spicy Asian Meals itch, quick! Seared beef mince will get tossed by a fiery Firecracker Sauce, all served over rice or noodles, a bit like a spicy beef model of the much-loved Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Mince.
“I would like a spicy Asian meals repair!” It’s a well known wail frequently heard from me, particularly throughout intensive intervals of non-Asian meals cooking work, like throughout the making of the cookbook. Lovers of Asian meals will perceive precisely what I imply. It’s a recurring style craving that, when left unhappy for too lengthy, rears its head like a waking beast.
The satisfaction the beast seeks is explicit. It’s chilli-laced, big-flavoured Asian meals. I’m speaking the likes of Thai Drunken Noodles. Chilli Garlic Prawns. Dan Dan Noodles. Laksa. Something bold-tasting with wallop of tongue-tickling spicy warmth. Nothing else will do!
The most recent and fairly presumably the fastest-to-make addition to my spicy Asian repertoire that matches the invoice is that this Firecracker Beef, aptly named as a result of it’s a literal flavour explosion! Suppose spicy, deeply savoury leaning just a little candy, all given some legs with a contact of vinegar.
It’s as tasty as they arrive and really, very quick to make!
Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to make Firecracker sauce.
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Sriracha – A Thai chilli sauce bought in all places as of late (Asian aisle and/or sauce aisle of supermarkets). That is the primary supply of spiciness on this recipe. It additionally provides flavour as sriracha is made with extra than simply chilli, together with garlic, vinegar, salt and sugar.
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Chilli flakes (crimson pepper flakes) – The second supply of spiciness within the dish, this provides a extra earthy chilli style along with the tangy, recent chilli style of the sriracha. To cut back the spiciness, dial the chilli flakes again first earlier than decreasing sriracha. Sriracha provides extra flavour into the dish than chilli flakes, so it’s extra important.
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Beef mince (floor beef) – Any fats proportion is ok: lean or customary. The fattier it’s, the higher the meat will caramelise.
Different proteins – Floor chicken, pork or turkey all work properly with Firecracker sauce!
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Sugar – Firecracker sauce’s flavour profile is spicy and candy, so that is the candy. It additionally helps the meat caramelise which provides much more flavour to the general dish.
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Rice vinegar – This offers the sharpness within the dish to offset the candy and savoury. I take advantage of rice vinegar in line with the Asian spirit of this dish however apple cider vinegar might be substituted in a pinch.
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Mild soy – The first supply of salt for this recipe. All-purpose soy sauce will also be used, however not darkish soy sauce as a result of the flavour and color is simply too intense. Extra on various kinds of soy sauces and tips on how to substitute right here!
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Garlic – Recent garlic is a vital fragrant flavour base that seems in 99% of my savoury recipes. You’d be laborious pressed to discover a dinner recipe with out garlic!
You’re quarter-hour away from fortunately hoovering this down! Prepared, set, GO!
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Firecracker sauce – Combine all of the components in a bowl.
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Cook dinner beef – Utilizing a big non-stick pan over excessive warmth, prepare dinner the meat till you may not see uncooked meat. Then add the garlic and chilli flakes and prepare dinner for an additional 1 minute till the garlic bits are golden.
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Sauce it – Add the Firecracker sauce and prepare dinner for an excellent 5 to 7 minutes on excessive warmth till the sauce reduces and the meat begins to caramelise. Caramelisation is the important thing to creating a wickedly good Firecracker something, so don’t shortcut this step!
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Moisten it up – After the meat is caramelised, you’ll discover that it appears to be like a bit dried out. It’s because all of the sauce has lowered, caramelised and caught to the meat (= flavour!) To rectify this, we simply add a slosh of water to juice up the meat a bit and provides it a extra saucy end. Give it a fast stir and it’s achieved!
My default is to serve over white rice with some uncooked greens (cucumber, carrot and radish pictured). I really like the crunchy-textured, cooling and refreshing distinction they’ve towards all that large flavour within the tender beef. For garnishes, sprinkle with inexperienced onion, sesame seeds and a squirt of additional sriracha in the event you’re feeling it’s an extra-spicy kinda night.
To eat, simply combine the meat by the rice and devour with a spoon. As a result of the meat is generously flavoured, I don’t even really feel the necessity for dressing over the greens. Should you needed one thing fast although, attempt my Asian Sesame Dressing.
For one thing totally different….
It’s additionally nice with soba noodles or vermicelli noodles (a wonderful no-cook-just-soak choice). Or make Asian-inspired Sloppy Joes or tacos:
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Stuff heat buttered rolls or tortillas with this Firecracker Beef together with a easy slaw or salad leaves
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Quesadillas – Firecracker beef, cheese and another add-ins you fancy!
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Prime with calmly pickled greens just like the carrot in Banh Mi, these pickled crimson onions from Fish Tacos or cucumber ribbons in Beetroot Cured Salmon
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End with a squirt of sriracha and for additional indulgence, some kewpie mayonnaise.
I haven’t made any of those earlier than however now I need to attempt them, instantly!! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, peanut)
- 500g / 1 lb beef mince / ground beef (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes (adjust to your taste)
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce , light or all-purpose (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (Note 3)
- 4 tbsp sriracha sauce (Note 4)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar (tightly packed)
- Rice, soba or vermicelli noodles
- 1 green onion , finely sliced
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- Diced cucumber, julienned carrot, finely sliced red radish
- Extra sriracha sauce , if you dare!
Instructions
- Sauce: Mix Firecracker sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cook beef: Heat oil in a large frypan over high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you can no longer see raw meat (2½ minutes). Add garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute.
- Caramelise beef: Add Firecracker sauce ingredients, stir to coat the beef. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring only every minute or so initially, then more towards the end, until the sauce reduces and you can see the beef caramelising. Caramelise well for good flavour!
- Water: Add the water and cook for 1 minute (the water makes the beef saucier!)
- Serve over rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds, green onion and a squirt of extra sriracha if you're feeling brave! Add a pile of vegetables of choice on the side. Dive in!
Notes
Spiciness – Fairly spicy but not blow-your-head-off levels. Reduce spiciness firstly by reducing or omitting the chilli flakes. Then reduce the sriracha, if need be. Try not to reduce sriracha because it’s a key flavouring.
Sweetness – I use minimum sugar to be able to get good beef caramelisation and balance the spiciness/tang of siracha. If you reduce the sugar the spice comes through a quite a bit more and is not the typical Firecracker sauce flavour, albeit still very tasty!
1. Other proteins – This recipe will work well with pork, chicken and turkey mince. Crumbled tofu – reduce sugar by 1 tbsp.
2. Soy sauce – Use light or all-purpose soy. Don’t use dark soy sauce, the flavour will be too intense. More on different types of soy sauce here.
3. Rice vinegar – Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
4. Sriracha – A Thai chilli sauce found everywhere these days. Adds more than just spiciness, it adds flavour too as it’s flavoured with garlic, vinegar, sugar and salt.
5. Storage – Leftover cooked beef will keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months. When reheating, add a splash of water to juice it up!
6. Nutrition per serving, beef only (ie not rice or vegetables).
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