How to Make Chinese Takeout-Style Honey Garlic Crispy Beef

In mixing bowl, toss sliced beef with sugar, baking soda and salt, coating evenly. Let sit in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile in separate bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, mirin/cooking wine, sesame oil, and chicken broth. In large saucepan over medium-low heat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add minced garlic. You don’t want to burn the garlic, much less brown it, but more to soften and release its aroma. After 2-3 minutes, add the soy sauce-broth mixture to the lightly sautéed garlic and turn heat up to medium-high, bringing to a simmer. Add lots of black pepper, then turn off heat and set aside as you work on the beef.

Remove beef bowl from fridge, and add the egg white and two tablespoons of corn starch. Mix well, the beef should be lightly battered and goopy. Place back in fridge for 10 more minutes.

In a wok or heavy-bottomed skillet, fill with vegetable or peanut oil to a depth of an inch. If you have a candy thermometer, use it here: You want the oil to be 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove battered beef from fridge, and once the oil hits that temperature, use bamboo chopsticks or tongs to add beef to the hot oil, loosening up the strips. After about 3-4 minutes, the beef should be beautifully crisp and golden brown. Remove to a rack for draining.

(Extra crispy optional step: To achieve an even crispier texture, remove the beef—easiest with a spider strainer—after the first two minutes of frying. Let the oil temperature comes back up to 375 degrees, then deep fry the beef again for two more minutes. Remove twice-fried beef from oil and let drain on rack.)

Once the beef is done frying, bring the soy sauce mixture back to a simmer. Mix the teaspoon each of corn starch and water together, then stir into your sauce. Simmer for a minute to thicken. Toss the crispy beef strips into this glaze, plate onto large serving dish, drizzle a good amount of honey, and crack more pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion to finish.