Savory with a five-spice aroma, the flavor deepens the more you chew, and the crispness of the fried tofu skin perfectly complements the tender beef and potato filling.
Nowadays, traditional Beijing snacks are becoming increasingly rare. While fried crispy meat rolls are still fairly common and smell quite appetizing, they often get saltier the more you eat, with a dry, lackluster texture—as if something is missing: you can't taste the meat! That's because there's very little meat inside, mostly potatoes or other fillings, with copious amounts of five-spice powder taking center stage, desperately trying to satisfy our taste buds. But are you satisfied? At least I'm not! I miss the old days when these fried meat rolls were crispy on the outside and tender within, with the irresistible blend of meaty flavor and five-spice aroma creating an indescribable delight.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
400 g (about 14 oz) ground beef
300 g (about 10.5 oz) potatoes
Beef filling doesn't require a specific cut—any lean, tendon-free beef works, and a little fat adds flavor. However, avoid using water-injected beef, as the filling will fall apart during frying.
Additional Ingredients
Oil tofu skin (yuba) — as needed
Marinade
15 g (about 1 tablespoon) yellow rice wine
6 g (about 2 teaspoons) five-spice powder
6 g salt
1 egg
Scallions, ginger, and cornstarch, each to taste
Instructions
Instructions
Steam the potatoes.
Step 1: Peel and wash the potato, cut into large thick slices, steam over high heat until soft, then mash while hot and let cool completely (Image 3).
Potatoes with yellow flesh steam more easily and produce a better color when fried.
To prepare the meat filling, combine ground pork with minced ginger, scallions, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and a pinch of salt, then mix in a beaten egg and a tablespoon of cornstarch, stirring vigorously in one direction until the mixture is sticky and well-blended.
② Step 2: Add all the meat marinade seasonings to the ground meat mixture (Image 4), stir in one direction until well combined, then add the mashed potatoes (Image 5), mix thoroughly, and set aside (Image 6).
*Make sure to add enough salt, otherwise the dish will lack saltiness and the aroma won't come through. Don't skimp on the five-spice powder.
*Be sure to season the meat filling before adding the mashed potatoes; if you mix them together at the same time, the seasonings will be absorbed by the potatoes first, leaving the meat bland.
To make the meat loaf base, combine ground pork, mashed tofu, chopped scallions and ginger, starch, and seasonings, then spread the mixture evenly onto a sheet of tofu skin, cover with another sheet, and press firmly.
Step 3: Lay one sheet of tofu skin flat, brush a thin layer of starch water over it (Image 7), then spread the seasoned beef filling evenly on top and press it down (Image 8). Take another sheet of tofu skin, brush one side with starch water, place that side down onto the meat filling, smooth it out with your hand, and then use a sharp knife to cut into strips about the thickness of your thumb (Image 9).
After brushing the oil bean curd sheets with starch water, they will adhere more firmly to the meat filling.
*When cutting, it's best to use a sharp knife because the bean curd skin, though thin, is quite tough and not easy to cut. Also, be sure to cut straight down—your motion must be precise and decisive, completing each cut in one go. Do not saw back and forth, as this can cause the skin to separate from the filling.
Crispy Fried Pork
④ Pour a generous amount of oil into the wok and heat over high heat until it reaches 60-70% hot (about 350-375°F or 175-190°C). Carefully add the meat strips one by one, then reduce to medium heat and fry until the surface is golden brown (Figure 10).
*The oil temperature should be higher and the heat should be stronger, so that the fried meat will have a golden, crispy surface.
*Place the meat strips one by one into the oil, and work quickly. If you dump them all in at once, they will easily fall apart.
Flexible application
The traditional method also calls for a type of soybean product called "gezha," made from mung bean flour, which is delicious on its own when fried and dipped in garlic sauce, offering a rich bean flavor, and it's a great addition to this dish, but since it's often hard to find, don't worry if you can't get it. You can also add a little tofu for a nice result. If you don't care for beef, you can make this dish with lamb or pork instead.
A clever shortcut for lazy cooks.
Besides eating it deep-fried, Song Rou (crispy meat rolls) can also be enjoyed flash-fried with sauce. A rough method is to combine yellow wine, soy sauce, water, a little vinegar, sesame oil, and minced scallion and garlic in a bowl, bring it to a boil in a wok, lightly thicken with a cornstarch slurry, then add the fried meat rolls and toss to coat evenly—the flavor is also excellent.