Description
Delicious and authentic Chinese Beef and Broccoli stir fry featuring tender beef slices and crisp broccoli florets coated in a savory soy-based sauce, perfect for a quick and flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Sauce
- 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 12 oz / 360g beef fillet, flank or rump
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 4 - 5 cups broccoli florets (1 head), cooked
- 1 cup water
Serving
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce: Place cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a bowl and mix until smooth. Add sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, Chinese five spice powder, sesame oil (if using), and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Prepare Beef: Slice the beef into 1/4″ (0.5 cm) thick slices against the grain to ensure tenderness. Place the sliced beef and 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce into a bowl and set aside to marinate briefly.
- Heat Oil and Cook Beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over high heat until hot. Add the marinated beef, spreading it out evenly. Allow it to brown undisturbed for 1 minute.
- Stir Fry Beef with Aromatics: Stir the beef for about 10 seconds, then add finely chopped garlic and ginger. Stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the beef is no longer pink.
- Add Sauce and Water: Pour the remaining sauce mixture and 1 cup of water into the skillet with the beef. Quickly mix to combine all the ingredients.
- Cook Broccoli: When the sauce starts bubbling, add the cooked broccoli florets. Stir to coat the broccoli in the sauce evenly. Allow it to simmer for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Serve: Remove the skillet from heat immediately to prevent overcooking. Serve the beef and broccoli stir fry over rice. Optionally, sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish.
Notes
- Dark soy sauce adds a richer color and deeper flavor to the sauce, but using all-purpose or just light soy sauce will result in a lighter color.
- Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) is essential for authentic flavor. If unavailable, dry sherry or cooking sake are good substitutes. Mirin can be used but omit sugar. For alcohol-free, substitute 3/4 cup water with low sodium chicken broth.
- Chinese Five Spice Powder is a blend of five spices readily available in most supermarkets’ spice sections.
- Use tender cuts of beef such as rump, flank, sirloin, t-bone, or scotch fillet. Slice against the grain to enhance tenderness. Avoid slow-cooking cuts unless tenderized properly.
- If par boiling broccoli, boil for 40 seconds for crisp-tender or 1 minute for more tender, then drain and use residual heat to finish cooking.
- Adapted from Woks of Life, a trusted source for authentic Chinese takeout recipes.
- Nutrition info excludes rice serving.
