When my furnace broke last winter, I called a service man come to fix it. He loved to sing and dance while working and fixed the furnace in no time. When he entered my kitchen to check the hot water, he inquired about the extensive camera and lighting set-up around the counter top. I excitedly showed him a draft of my first cooking video, Egg Drop Soup. He told me, “My favorite dish at Chinese restaurants is the Beef and Broccoli — the beef is so tender and the broccoli is crispy!” And so this happy service man inspired me to show exactly how it is made!
Beef and Broccoli (西蘭花炒牛肉)
Flank steak is the best cut for stir-frying as it is tender and absorbs the marinade well. This recipe blanches the broccoli for only 20 seconds for peak crispiness. You can cook it longer, but be careful to not turn the broccoli yellow and mushy.
Ingredients
- Beef - 8 oz (220 g), flank steak preferred
- broccoli - 8 oz (220 g), 1 small head
- cooking oil - 1 tablespoon for stir-frying beef. 1 1/2 tablespoon for aromatics
- Marinade
- soy sauce - 1 tablespoon
- rice wine - 1 teaspoon
- sesame oil - 1/4 teaspoon
- cornstarch - 1 tablespoon
- Seasoning Sauce
- soy sauce - 2 teaspoons
- oyster sauce - 1 tablespoon
- sesame oil - 1/2 teaspoon
- sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
- pepper - white or black, 1/8 teaspoon
- cornstarch - 1 teaspoon
- Broth - or water, 4 tablespoons
- Aromatics
- ginger - peeled, 4 slices
- garlic - 2 cloves, peeled, sliced
Instructions
Video is also provided at the top of this article to demonstrate the steps.
- Slice beef: Cut beef across grain at a 45 degree angle into 2 1/2-inch wide, 1/4 inch thick strips. [see video above at 0:05]
- Add marinade: Add soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, cornstarch to the beef. Massage ingredients into beef. Set aside for 15 minutes. [0:12]
- Prepare seasoning sauce: Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, pepper, cornstarch and water or broth into a small bowl. Set aside. [0:27]
- Blanch broccoli: Bring a pot of water to boil. When boiling, add broccoli and cook for 20 seconds. Remove the broccoli using a strainer onto a plate and drain out excess water. Set aside. [0:46]
- Stir-fry beef: Heat wok with 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. When hot, add beef and stir-fry beef until 70% done. Remove the beef onto a plate. Set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoon oil over high heat. Stir-fry ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add beef and cook until done. [0:55]
- Add broccoli and seasoning sauce: Add broccoli to the wok. Give a quick stir. Mix the seasoning sauce again, as the cornstarch may have condensed to the bottom of the bowl. Pour the sauce over beef and broccoli. Quickly stir to coat until the sauce thickens. Plate up and serve! [1:29]
Allergens
