Beef Stir-Fry with Thai Basil (金不换炒牛肉) – Ready in 15 Minutes
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Author:
Mandy Fu
Servings
2
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
This beef stir-fry comes together in about 15 minutes—simple, humble, and easy to overlook. But the moment Thai basil is added at the end, the whole dish comes alive and becomes unexpectedly special.
In Hakka cooking, Thai basil is treasured and known as jin bu huan (金不换), meaning “worth more than gold.” Its intoxicating aroma—slightly sweet, gently peppery, with a hint of anise—is what gives this quick stir-fry its unmistakable character. You should be able to find Thai basil in almost any Asian market. If not, use Italian sweet basil as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder.
Ingredients
- 300g beef
-
1/4 tsp of white pepper powder
-
1/4 tsp of garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp of baking soda
-
1/2 tbsp of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of oil to coat the beef
- 2 tbsp of oil to stir fry
- 1.5 inch of ginger, crushed and diced
- 5 cloves of garlic, crushed and diced
- 5 Thai bird chilies, diced
-
1 tbsp of oyster sauce
-
1 tbsp of fish sauce
- 40g - 80g of basil leaves, depending on your taste
Directions
Slice the beef thinly against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers). This shortens the fibers, resulting in a more tender texture. Ribeye, sirloin, flank, or strip steak are all good choices for this dish.
Add the beef slices, white pepper powder, garlic powder, baking soda, and soy sauce to a bowl and mix well.
Drizzle in 1 tbsp of cooking oil and stir to coat the beef—this helps keep the slices separate during stir-frying. Set aside.
Heat a wok over high heat until smoking hot. Add 2 Tbsps of oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the diced ginger, garlic, Thai bird’s eye chilies, and beef. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until the beef just changes color.
Add 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp fish sauce, stirring quickly to combine. Finally, add the basil and mix for less than 10 seconds. Serve with white rice
