Beef & Mint Stir-Fry (Dai-Style Beef)

If you’re looking for a new way to cook and enjoy beef, this might be just the dish for you!

One of the things I love about travelling is coming home with new flavours and ideas to recreate in my own kitchen. This beef and mint stir-fry was inspired by my recent trip to Yunnan, and it’s a dish I’ve been thinking about ever since.

Before trying this, I never would have thought to use fresh mint in a stir-fry. But now I completely understand why it works.

For this version, I’m using both mince and stir-fry cuts from Green Meadows to create different textures, and I absolutely loved how it turned out.

This was so delightfully delicious and, best of all, it’s another recipe I get to add to my arsenal of Southeast Asian-inspired flavours I know and love.

I don't cook with beef particularly often, but when I do, I always aim to go for the best. For me, that means beef that's been raised with care, transparency, and respect for the animal. As someone who cares about both nutrition and sustainability, knowing where my food comes from is something I value and care about deeply.

And a lil reminder from a nutritionist: beef is a nutrient-dense food, providing protein, iron, and vitamin B12. Remember that no single food does it all, so aim for a varied and balanced diet. And as much as you can, go for high-quality options from farmers whose practices align with your values.

This Dai-inspired stir-fried beef is spicy, zingy, loaded with fresh mint, and I hope you try it out too! Full recipe below.

And if you’re more of a visual learner (I know I am), you can also watch the steps here!

THE RECIPE

SERVES 3-4

Ingredients

• 400g beef mince

• 400g stir fry beef (sliced)

• 1 large red chilli, sliced finely

• 1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced finely

• 1 red bell pepper, halved and deseeded

• 8 cloves garlic, minced

• 2” ginger, minced

• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns (optional)

• ¼ green mango, shredded

• ~40-50g mint, leaves plucked from stems

• ~30g koo chye, sliced into 2” pieces

• 20g coriander, chopped

• 2-3 tsp lime juice

• 2 tsp fish sauce

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp corn starch

Directions

1. If you have an air fryer, place the bell pepper in at 180-200ºC, for long enough to blister the skins. Depending on your air fryer, it can take anywhere from 8-15 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool.

2. If you don’t have an air fryer, place the bell pepper over open flame to blister the skin. Turn it every now and then so it’s even. Once blistered, place it in a bowl and cover it while it cools down and softens.

3. To marinate the meat, set each cut in different bowls, and coat each with: ½ tbsp dark soy sauce, ½ tbsp light soy sauce, and ½ tbsp corn starch. Mix well and set aside.

4. Once the peppers have cooled down, peel off the skin and slice into strips.

5. Heat the oil in a wok or a large skillet. Once heated, add in the peppercorns. Cook till fragrant, and remove the peppercorns.

6. Add in the marinated minced meat, spreading it apart so it can brown nicely. Once the beef begins to brown, mix it about until about 80% cooked. Remove and set aside.

7. Add in the marinated stir fry beef and stir-fry until about 80% cooked. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies, stir-frying until fragrant, then return the minced beef to the wok.

8. Stir-fry till the aromatics are fragrant, then add in the red pepper and mix well.

9. Turn off the heat and add in the fresh herbs, green mango, and Szechuan peppercorns.

10. Squeeze over the lime juice, drizzle over the fish sauce, and toss everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

11. Serve alongside some freshly steamed rice, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Coming soon!

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DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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