BETTER THAN TAKEOUT - Authentic Chinese Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Author:
Mandy Fu
Servings
2
Prep Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
If you are looking for an easy and delicious meal to make tonight, look no further than this authentic beef and broccoli recipe! Unlike the typical American Chinese takeout version, this dish is flavored with a touch of satay sauce and fish sauce. Both are popular ingredients in Teochew cuisine. As for the vegetable component, locals like to use Chinese broccoli, also known as gai lan (or jie lan in Mandarin), which adds a unique mustard flavor and a slight sweetness. But don't worry, you can easily substitute regular broccoli if needed.
Ingredients
For marinating the beef
- 300g / 10.6 oz beef
- 1.6g / ⅓ tsp baking soda
- 0.6g / ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 8.3g / 1.5 tsps dark soy sauce
- 21g / 1.5 Tbsps Chinese cooking wine
- 11.3g / 1.5 Tbsps cornstarch
- 8.5g / ½ Tbsp satay sauce
- 1.5 Tbsps cooking oil
For making the stir-fry sauce
- 16.6g / 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 9g / ½ Tbsp oyster sauce
- 8.5g / ½ Tbsp fish sauce
- 2.1g / ½ tsp sugar
- 2.5g / 1 tsp cornstarch
- 60g / ¼ cup water
For stir-frying and finishing
- 34g / 2.5 Tbsps oil to stir-fry the beef
- 9g / 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 6g / 2 tsps minced ginger
- 227g / 8 oz Chinese broccoli
- 1.5 Tbsps water to cook the Chinese broccoli stem
Directions
Cut the beef across the muscle grains into ⅛-inch thick slices. Place the beef in a mixing bowl and add the baking soda, ground white pepper, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, cornstarch, and satay sauce. Mix well.
- Add 1.5 tablespoons of cooking oil and mix to coat the beef; this will prevent the slices from sticking, making it easier to stir-fry later. Set the beef aside for 15 minutes.
- Cut the Chinese broccoli on a 45-degree angle into 2-inch-long stalks. Separate the leaves and the stems because they will go into the wok at different times. If using Western broccoli, cut it into bite-sized florets.
- In a bowl, thoroughly combine the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Set it aside.
- Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until smoking hot. Add 2.5 tablespoons of oil and swirl it around to create a non-stick layer.
- Add the beef to the wok and stir over high heat for 2 minutes or until the meat is slightly charred. Remove the beef from the wok but leave the oil behind.
- Add the minced garlic, ginger, and the broccoli stem to the same wok. Stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. If the wok looks a little dry, add a splash of water to create some steam, helping to cook the stem through.
- Add the broccoli leaves and keep cooking until wilted.
- Introduce the beef back into the wok, pour in the sauce, and stir until the sauce is thickened. Serve with white rice.
Recipe Note
Ingredient Tips
- I recommend using sirloin, ribeye, flank steak, chuck, or top round for this recipe.
- Satay sauce adds a nutty and umami taste to the dish. If you don't have it, replace it with XO sauce or Thai-style shrimp paste.
- Non-alcohol replacements for Chinese cooking wine vary from recipe to recipe. For this particular dish, you can use the same amount of beef stock.
