Chinese fried skewers

A growing popular street food trend in China, fried skewers are a simple but delicious treat, great to enjoy as a party food with friends. The secret to these skewers is the homemade Sichuan chilli salt, packed with flavour from plenty of spices.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 400 g beef rump, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine
• ¼ tsp bicarb soda
• 1 tsp potato starch
• ½ head broccoli, separated into florets
• 6 square blocks fish tofu
• 1 new potato, thinly sliced, soaking in water
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the Sichuan chilli salt

• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp five spice powder
• 2 tsp Korean chilli powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the beef with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, bicarb soda and potato starch and mix well to combine. Thread onto long wooden skewers, leaving about two-thirds of the skewer free. Thread the broccoli, fish tofu, and potato onto separate skewers.
2. For the chilli salt, place the salt, peppercorns, cumin and fennel seeds in a dry saucepan and dry roast until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse powder. Mix in the remaining ingredients and grind a little more.
3. Heat enough oil to deep-fry in a tall saucepan to 170˚C and deep-fry the skewers for about 5 minutes (rest the ends of the skewers on the side of the saucean, so only the food-threaded portion is in the oil), then remove to a tray lined with paper towel to drain. Cook in batches if necessary.
4. Mix some Sichuan chilli salt with the peppercorn and sesame oils and drizzle over the skewers, then sprinkle liberally with a little extra Sichuan chilli salt. Serve immediately.

Note

Any leftover chilli salt will keep well in an airtight jar in the pantry for future skewer cook ups.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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