Chinese Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Over Rice – With Luscious Gravy!
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Author:
Mandy Fu
Servings
2
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Today we’re making Teochew-style beef with Chinese broccoli over rice — 潮汕芥蓝牛肉盖饭. This is one of those everyday comfort meals you’ll find in Chaoshan restaurants: tender slices of beef, slightly bitter-sweet gai lan, and a silky, savory gravy poured all over hot steamed rice. It’s simple, nourishing, and incredibly satisfying.
What makes this version special is the Teochew touch — a little satay sauce in the marinade and a light sauce thickened just enough to coat every grain of rice. The flavor is deeper than typical takeout beef and broccoli, yet the cooking process is quick enough for a busy weeknight.
Once the sauce hits the rice, you’ll understand why people can easily finish two bowls without noticing.
Ingredients
- 300g / 10.6 oz of beef (recommend using sirloin, rib-eye, and flank steak)
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of baking soda
-
1/4 tsp of ground white pepper
-
1/2 tbsp of soy sauce
-
1/2 tbsp of satay sauce
- 300g of Chinese broccoli, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cloves of garlic, roughly diced
- 1.5 tbsp of diced Thai bird's-eye chilies
- 3 Tbsp of vegetable oil
-
1 tbsp of oyster sauce
-
1 tbsp of fish sauce
- 1 tsp of cornstarch
- 1/4 cup of water
Directions
Slice the beef into thin strips, then thinly slice the strips into small pieces. Recommend using flank steak, rib eye, sirloin, and strip steak.
Marinate the beef with 1/4 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of baking soda, 1/4 tsp of ground white pepper, 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce, and 1/2 tbsp of satay sauce. Mix thoroughly and set the beef aside.
Slice the Chinese broccoli (AKA gailan) stems into thin rounds and cut the leaves into short pieces. Separate the leaves and stem and set them aside. If you don’t have access to Chinese broccoli, use western broccoli, broccolini, or rapini as a replacement.
Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until smoking hot. Add a drizzle of oil and swirl it so the oil covers the bottom. Add the diced garlic, diced Thai bird's eye chilies, and the Gailan stem and stir for 2 minutes.
Add the marinated beef and continue to stir for 2 minutes. Season it with 1 tbsp of oyster sauce and 1 tbsp of fish sauce. Toss in the Gailan leaves. Keep mixing until well combined.
Quickly mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water until no lumps, and pour it into the wok. Stir until the sauce thickens.
Serve with white rice.
Recipe Video
Recipe Note
Although satay doesn’t sound like Chinese food, it is indeed a significant Teochew (Also known as Chaozhou) style seasoning. What I am using is a local brand called 沙茶王. Most Asian markets in the USA will likely carry the Taiwan Bull Head brand.
