Beef and Broccoli (西兰花炒牛肉)
Following the restaurant's secret of meat velveting and the perfect sauce formula, your homemade beef and broccoli will please any demanding palate.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lb beef (flank, skirt, sirloin or rump steak)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 medium-head broccoli (about 10oz/300g (see note for alternatives))
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the beef
- 2
Cut the beef, across its grain, into slices. Then put them into a bowl.
- 3
Add baking soda, salt, cornstarch, light soy sauce and water. Stir and rub with your hand until the liquid is fully absorbed by the meat. Add oil and give a final rub to distribute it evenly. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes (refrigerate if left longer).
- 4
Prepare the sauce
- 5
In a small bowl, mix oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil and water. Set aside.
- 6
Blanch the broccoli
- 7
Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces (including the stem part). Bring water to a full boil in a wok. Blanch the broccoli for 1 to 1½ minutes depending on your preference.
- 8
If using a skillet (frying pan), make sure the water is covering half the height of the broccoli florets. Cover with a lid so that the steam will gather and cook the top part of the broccoli.
- 9
Sear the beef
- 10
Wipe dry and heat the wok/skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 1½ tablespoons of oil. Add the marinated beef. Distribute the pieces in a single layer to sear evenly.
- 11
Once lightly brown on the side touching the wok/skillet, flip and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds or so until the meat loses its pinkness on the surface (do not overcook). Transfer the beef and its cooking liquid to a bowl/plate. Side aside.
- 12
Combine the dish
- 13
Add the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil to the wok/pan. Stir-fry minced garlic and ginger until fragrant.
- 14
Turn the heat to medium-low and pour in the sauce mixture (remember to stir it well beforehand in case any starch sinks to the bottom).
- 15
Add the broccoli and the beef. Stir around while the sauce thickens. Dish out when it reaches your preferred consistency (bear in mind that it will become a little thicker as the dish cools).