For boiling the beef: 680 g / 1.5 pounds beef (beef chuck, brisket, or round), 28 g / 2 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine (optional), 9 g / about 3 slices ginger, 30 g / about 2 scallions, 2 liters / 8 1/3 cups water to cook the beef. For the spice mix: 3 to 20 dried red chilies or to taste, 0.4 g / about 2 bay leaves, 0.8 g / about 1 star anise, 2.5 g / about 1 cinnamon stick, 0.6 g / 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1.2 g / 1/2 tsp ground white pepper, 4 g / 1 Tbsp whole Sichuan peppercorns, 1.5 g / about 1/2 a black cardamom, 2.7 g / 1 tsp cumin seed, 18 g / 2 Tbsps sesame seeds, 8.6 g / 1.5 tsps salt, 6.3 g / 1.5 tsps sugar. For stir-frying and finishing: 220 g / 1 cup vegetable oil to deep-fry the beef, 45 g / about 3 scallions, 18 g / about 6 slices ginger, 100 g / about half a small onion (sliced thinly), 15 g / about 5 cloves garlic (lightly crushed), 60 g / 1/4 cup water, 12 g / 3 Tbsps diced scallions.
- Cut the beef into a few pieces that are about 3-inches big.
- Add the beef, Chinese cooking wine, ginger slices, scallion, and water to a stockpot. Bring it to a boil, and then simmer it on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the following spices in a wok over low heat for a few minutes: dried red chilies, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, white peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, black cardamom, and half of the cumin seeds. Keep the other half of the cumin seeds whole and reserve on the side.
- Add the toasted spices into a spice grinder and blend until fine.
- Combine the spicy powder with the sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and reserved whole cumin seeds. Set it aside.
- Take the beef out of the pot and rinse under running water to cool. Slice the beef into 1/4-inch thick slabs and then julienne into strips. Set the beef in a colander to drain completely.
- Add the oil, scallions, ginger slices, onion slices, and crushed garlic to a large wok. Stir over medium-low heat until the aromatics are golden brown; this seasons the oil so your beef comes out with a complex fragrance.
- Remove the aromatics from the oil and discard them.
- Bring the oil to 370°F / 188°C. Add the beef and deep-fry for 5-8 minutes or until nicely charred. Stir constantly to ensure even cooking.
- Take the beef out. Pour out most of the oil and leave 1/4 cup in the wok. Add the beef back to the wok along with the spice mix and 1/4 cup water. The water helps to mingle all the flavors without burning the delicate spices.
- Stir everything over medium-low heat until most of the water evaporates. Chill the beef in the fridge for 3 hours. Garnish with diced scallions and serve as a cold dish.
