Looking for a spicy recipe that has that “nestle up at home” good feeling? This slow cooker Asian beef stew certainly does the trick. It hits the spot as comfort food, perfect for the chillier months, but no slouch for the summer either. The warmth fits right in and comes from many sources: Chinese 5-spice powder, hoisin sauce, and chili paste all play a part.
It’s pretty spicy as-is in the recipe, but to increase the heat, we recommend adding some crushed red pepper instead of more chili paste. This helps keep the flavor balance (as red pepper flakes are a dry and a neutral flavor beyond the heat). You could also dice up some Thai peppers to add to the stew. That’ll definitely increase the heat while not changing the overall flavor of the dish itself. Careful: Thai peppers look unassuming but pack a pretty big punch – up to 40 times hotter than a jalapeño. Less is more until you’ve balanced the stew properly.
Asian beef stew is one of many excellent spicy soups and stews in our spicy recipe index. If you like soups with an exotic twist, don’t miss some these as well. Our Thai pumpkin soup turns a fall staple into a bold and earthy eating experience. Or, for something more every day, our spicy ramen noodles recipe is a must.
Asian Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 onions sliced
- 2 pounds round steak sliced stir-fry style
- 2 celery ribs sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
- 1 package frozen peas 10 ounces, thawed
- 1 cup baby carrots peeled
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon Asian chili paste
- 6 cups white rice cooked
Instructions
- In a slow cooker, layer together the beef, chopped onions, diced celery, and baby carrots.
- Separately in a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, beef broth, chili paste, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and five spice powder.
- Pour the sauce over the ingredients in the slow cooker and cover.
- Slow cook for 5 hours on high heat.
- Remove peas from freezer to thaw for the 5 hour duration.
- Uncover, take 2 tablespoons of the broth, and mix it with the cornstarch. Stir mix into the slow cooker stew.
- Cover and slow cook for an additional 30 minutes on high.
- Uncover, mix in thawed pieces and stir thoroughly. Heat the stew for an additional 5 minutes covered.
- Serve over rice.
Awesome Recipe, very light and full of flavour. Good one 🙂