Sambal Beef and Pak Choi Stir Fry
Tender strips of steak and crunchy pak choi in a glossy, hot sambal sauce, on the table in twenty minutes.
Made with Sambal oelek (chilli sambal) and All purpose stir fry sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.27 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the steak with the cornflour and a pinch of salt in a bowl until lightly coated. Cook the rice following the packet and keep it covered.
- 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok over a very high heat until smoking. Fry the beef in two batches for 1 to 2 minutes each, until browned but still pink inside. Tip onto a plate.
3 min - 3
Add the remaining oil, garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- 4
Add the pak choi stems first and stir fry for 2 minutes, then the leaves for 1 minute.
3 min - 5
Add your ready made sambal oelek (see the base recipe) and your ready made stir fry sauce (see the base recipe) and bubble for 1 minute until glossy.
- 6
Return the beef and any juices to the wok and toss for 30 seconds until hot. Serve straight away over rice.
0 min 30 s
Tips
- Slice the steak thinly against the grain and chill it for 15 minutes first, which makes slicing easier.
- Get the wok very hot and cook the beef in batches. Crowding steams it and makes it tough.
- Add the sambal with the sauce so its fresh heat is not burned by the high heat.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge once cooled within 2 hours. Reheat once, until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze with the pak choi.
Questions
Can I use chicken or tofu?
Yes. Use 500 g chicken thigh strips and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until no pink remains, or 400 g pressed firm tofu cubes fried until golden.
Is this stir fry gluten free?
Yes. The stir fry sauce base is made without wheat soy sauce, and the beef is coated in cornflour rather than flour. Always check any tamari or sauce labels.
How do I keep the pak choi crisp?
Cook the white stems for 2 minutes first, then add the leaves for just 1 minute. Take the wok off the heat as soon as the leaves wilt.
More made with sambal oelek (chilli sambal)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.