Originating from Zigong, this dish gets its name from its unique cooking method. The beef slices are not stir-fried in oil but rather blanched in a spicy broth, giving it the name "Shuizhu Niurou" or "Water Boiled Beef". This dish is characterized by its vibrant red color, tender beef, and a rich balance of spicy, hot, salty, and savory flavors, offering a deep and satisfying culinary experience. Select beef tenderloin and slice it against the grain into pieces approximately 5 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 0.3 cm thick. Marinate these slices evenly with Sichuan salt, a mixture of cornstarch and water, and Chinese cooking wine. Fry dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns in oil until they turn a deep red, then remove and finely chop them, a technique known as "knife-edge pepper" in the culinary trade. Add Pixian fermented broad bean paste to the wok and stir-fry until it deepens in color. Then, add minced ginger and garlic to release their fragrance. Follow with tender bamboo shoot tips and segments of celery, stir-frying until they are just tender yet crisp. Pour in fresh stock, sprinkle with Sichuan salt, and cook until the garlic sprouts are just tender. Finally, remove the contents and serve in a shallow, wide bowl. Gently toss the beef slices into the hot wok, stirring to separate them. Once they are cooked through, remove them from the heat and lay them over the vegetables. Sprinkle with ground-fried chili pepper and finely ground Sichuan peppercorns. To finalize, carefully pour boiling oil over the dish, creating a vibrant and aromatic finish. The key points for preparing the dish are as follows. Highlight its spicy and hot characteristics while ensuring the beef slices retain their tenderness and juiciness. Use lean beef, with yak meat being the first choice, followed by yellow beef and buffalo meat as the last option. Ensure the meat slices are well-hydrated. Coat them evenly with a generous amount of cornstarch slurry to form a paste-like layer. For optimal results, the dish's sauce will naturally reach the perfect consistency upon completion, obviating the need for extra cornstarch thickening. For optimal flavor, take care not to overcook the dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns; aim for a date-like dark red color. Add Sichuan peppercorns towards the end of frying to preserve their aromatic properties. When stir-frying vegetables, be sure to adjust the seasoning for a balanced saltiness and cook them just enough to retain their crisp texture while being well-seasoned. Garlic sprouts and celery are essential components of the dish. Additionally, incorporating one to two types of seasonal fresh vegetables can enhance the flavor and variety. To prevent the beef slices from clumping together or sticking to the bottom of the wok, add them gradually to the wok, shaking to separate them. Avoid immediate stirring to preserve the starch coating. Wait for small bubbles, then gently separate the slices with chopsticks. Once large bubbles appear, indicating the meat is cooked, it can be removed from the wok. Carefully control the amount of fresh broth added to achieve a dense, creamy texture once the meat slices are fully cooked. (No need for extra starch thickening.) The oil drizzling over the meat slices should be heated to just below its smoking point, approximately 80 percent of its maximum heat, to effectively release the aroma. The volume of oil used in the completed dish should be sufficient to submerge the surface, which helps to retain the heat and keep the dish simmering when served.