Chinese-American Beef and Broccoli Stir-fry
Cook: Sharon Yam (@yamsandchips)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12-15 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Chinese
Difficulty: Easy
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #hkersfood - we’d LOVE to see how yours turn out on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! You might even be featured by us ;)
When Asher and I are pressed for time, we resort to simple stir-fry dishes that are healthy and quick to make.
Unlike most Chinese beef recipes that suggest marinating the beef ahead of time, I choose not to so that the beef will hit the pan dry. That way, they can get a nice sear on the surface.
This dish is a classic in Chinese American cuisine, a hybrid culinary tradition created by Chinese immigrants around the mid-19th century. Chinese American cuisine is not the same as the Chinese food we’d find in a restaurant in Hong Kong.
Main Ingredients
370g beef
1 medium broccoli
2 cloves of minced garlic
Half a thumb of minced ginger
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Ingredients for the sauce
⅔ cup stock
1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp chili oil, you may use more or less depending on your taste
Ingredients for corn starch slurry
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
Tip: It’s important to use cold water to create a smooth slurry. If you use warm or not water, the cornstarch will coagulate instantly, and won’t have the same effect.
Method
Cube the beef and cut the broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
In a small bowl, combine and whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
In a different small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Set aside.
Heat up a pan with cooking oil. While you wait for the pan to heat up, very lightly salt the beef on all sides.
Put the beef in. Add black pepper to taste. Cook under high heat for about 4 minutes, or until all sides of the beef cubes are brown.
Tip: This process will create a lot of smoke. Make sure to open some windows!Once the beef is cooked, put into a bowl. Set aside.
With the grease still on the pan, turn the heat to medium.
Add and cook the minced ginger and garlic quickly for 30 seconds.
Lightly salt and saute the broccoli until it is soft, approximately 5 minutes. If you have cut your broccoli into small pieces, they will soften faster.
Once the broccoli is soft, add the sauce into the pan.
Cook the sauce and the broccoli for about a minute, allowing the sauce to cook down slightly.
Add half of the cornstarch slurry in, stirring frequently.
Add the beef cubes back into the pan.
If the sauce is too liquidy, add more cornstarch slurry and stir.
Taste the sauce and adjust its flavors depending on your taste.
Serve immediately with rice.
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