If you are looking for a new adventurous recipe to try with your venison this year…this is it, especially if you like some heat!  I was fortunate to have a dietetic intern working with me this semester who adapted this classic beef dish from her homeland, China. Some of the ingredients may need to be sourced from an Asian grocery store, especially the key, “numbing” peppercorn oil.  This fragrant, almost floral smelling oil has a unique characteristic of actually numbing your mouth, without the burning sensation you might get from a super hot pepper.  If you cannot find it, a chili pepper oil can be used instead, and we have made suggested substitutions for some of the other specialty ingredients.  But again, if you are looking for something spicy and different, try to find the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. 4oz. venison
• ½  teaspoon. baking powder
• ½ cup water
• 4   teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon peanut or canola oil (plus ½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, used separately)
• 6  ounces soybean sprouts* (about 2 handfuls, washed and drained)
• 7  ounces Enoki mushrooms* (about 1 cup, trimmed, washed, and drained)
• 1 medium lotus root* (thinly sliced)
• 6  slices ginger
• 5  scallions (white parts only, cut into ½-inch pieces)
• 3  tablespoons Sichuan peppercorn oil (can be substituted with chili oil)
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns**
• 6  tablespoons spicy bean sauce*** (or spicy bean paste)
• 3  cups low sodium chicken stock (or homemade chicken and/or pork bone stock)
• 3  teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoon garlic (minced)
• 2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)

*If you cannot find bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms, and/or lotus root, other vegetables could be substituted. Some good alternatives are: sliced mushrooms, romaine lettuce, napa cabbage and sliced water chestnuts.

**You can use one or both of the peppercorn oil and whole peppercorns. These ingredients are important for adding the numbing effects of the dish. When you are looking for peppercorn oil in Asian grocery stores, try to find items with the names “Huajiao” or “Hua jiao” on the label if it does not have an English translation.

***If you have access to Asian grocery stores, try to find Sichuan / Pixian / Pi Xian Broad Bean Paste or chili bean sauce to create the authentic flavor for this dish.

Preparation:

Cut venison into slices that are about ¼ inches thin, removing any fat, sinew, or silver skin.

In a medium bowl, toss together venison, baking powder, and 1/2 cup water, and allow it to soak for 1 hour. The baking powder will help to tenderize the venison.

Then wash the venison under running water for 5 minutes, using a light to moderate stream of water so it flows out. Rinse the meat until the water almost runs clear.   Squeeze  and  dry  excess  liquid  from  meat.

Then marinate the venison with 4 teaspoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of spicy bean paste. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok over high heat. Stir fry the bean sprouts for about 2 minutes, then add the Enoki mushrooms and/or other mushrooms. Stir and mix everything well until the mushrooms have wilted. Turn off the heat, choose a large serving bowl with some depth, and removed the sprouts and mushrooms from the wok and spread them evenly around the bottom of the bowl. Peel and slice the lotus root and lightly simmer in water until it is tender, about 10 minutes.  Set this aside in the bowl with the sprouts and mushrooms.Wash the wok before starting the next step.

Heat a ½ cup of oil in the wok over medium heat (if you have peppercorn oil, use a mixture of vegetable oil and peppercorn oil in this step, about ⅓ peppercorn oil and ⅔ vegetable oil). Cook the ginger slices until they start to turn light brown. Add the scallions and the Sichuan peppercorns. Cook for two minutes, making sure to avoid burning the spices. Add the spicy bean sauce/paste, stir, and let the sauce cook in the oil for about 3-4 minutes. This will give the oil a bright red color. Keep an eye on the heat––too low and the oil won’t turn to a vibrant red color; too high and you might burn everything!

Once the oil takes on a bright red color, add chicken stock and sugar. Turn up the heat to high, stirring, and let the liquid come to a boil. Immediately add the venison, and stir slowly to separate the pieces, still using high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn off the heat.Optional step: If you prefer a thicker consistency of the broth, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ½ cup of cold water. While the broth is still boiling, pour in the cornstarch mixture and stir continuously.

Pour everything over the vegetables in the bottom of your serving bowl.

Top it with the minced garlic, chili flakes, and chopped cilantro. In a small saucepan, heat the last 3 tablespoons of oil (or oil mixture if you have peppercorn oil) until shimmering and you can see smoke coming off the saucepan. Pour the heated oil over the garlic and chili in a very thin stream. You should get a good sizzle. To serve, mix everything together and enjoy it with a side of steamed white or brown rice.

Serves about 6-8 people.

recipe adapted from: https://thewoksoflife.com/sichuan-boiled-beef/#recipe