Beef and Broccoli (西兰花炒牛肉)

What is beef and broccoli

Beef and broccoli stir-fry (Xī Lán Huā Chǎo Niú Ròu/西兰花炒牛肉) is believed to be a variation of a classic dish of Cantonese cuisine Stir-fried Beef and Gai Lan (a type of leafy green known as Chinese broccoli). It’s a simple dish showcasing the merits of the two main ingredients.

Tender, silky, juicy beef slices and crispy broccoli florets are coated with a brown sauce rich in garlicky, salty-sweet and umami flavors. Well-cooked beef and broccoli is such a delight to eat! Also, it’s a great example of tasty ways to combine protein and vegetables rich in fiber.

Top tips

As always, I’d like to point out some top tips before explaining the detailed recipe:

• To make the beef tender and succulent: slice it across the grain; tenderize it with baking soda and cornstarch; rub in the liquid seasoning and water; do not overcook.
• Blanch (or steam) the broccoli briefly to retain its crunchy texture.
• To achieve the perfect consistency of the sauce, control the starch quantity, the heat and the cooking time.

Ingredients & substitutes

For this stir-fry recipe, you’ll need:

• Beef, marinated with tenderizing ingredients and seasonings
• Broccoli, fresh or frozen
• An oyster and soy sauce based sauce with cornstarch as a thickener
• Garlic and ginger for extra fragrance

Which beef cuts

For Chinese-style stir-fries, the following beef cuts are popular choices: Flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin steak, and rump steak.

Cheaper and tougher cuts (for braising) are not ideal. But if you need to use them, check out my recipe for Black Pepper Beef to learn how to apply an extra step to treat them.

For tenderizing

Tenderizing (aka velveting) the beef is crucial if you’re looking for the restaurant standard texture of stir-fried beef. The two key ingredients are baking powder and cornstarch. You’ll need to mix them with light soy sauce, salt, and some water to make a marinade.

🛎 Note: Although baking soda is a key ingredient, do not attempt to use more than the quantity suggested in the recipe (see below) as it may leave a strong alkaline taste.

Alternative vegetables

If you don’t have broccoli at hand, please feel free to replace it with other vegetables. Alternatives include celery, bell peppers, mushrooms, snow peas (mangetout), snap peas, zucchini (courgette), Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli), asparagus, carrots etc.

For the sauce

If you have equipped your pantry following my 10 Essential Chinese Condiment Guide, it’s easy to put the sauce together.

• To season the dish, you’ll need oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, white pepper, sesame oil and a little sugar.
• To thicken the sauce, you’ll need cornstarch (or tapioca starch, potato starch, sweet potato starch, etc.) mixed with a little water.

Use a wok or skillet

Traditionally, Chinese stir-fried dishes are always cooked in woks, a versatile piece of equipment that distributes heat fast and evenly and holds the chopped ingredients very well while vigorously tossing and stirring.

Both carbon-steel wok and modern non-stick wok are suitable for this beef and broccoli recipe. If you’re new to wok cooking, read my Complete Wok Guide to learn the tips and tricks.

Don’t have a wok? Don’t fret. A large skillet (frying pan) works just fine for this dish. Ideally, they should have a high side so you’ll feel comfortable stirring the ingredients without spillage.

Cooking process

Here are all the steps involved in cooking beef and broccoli. Follow the sequence and tips for efficiency and the best result.

Step 1: Slice the beef

Check the direction of the beef grain then cut the piece across its grain into thin slices. Do not cut along the grain as this will result in a chewy texture.

Make sure the slices are neither too thick nor too thin. Thick pieces tend to be chewier and take longer to cook. If too thin, they can be easily torn when rubbed with the marinade. Aim for around 4 mm in thickness.

If you find slicing fresh meat challenging, keep the beef in the freezer for 1 hour or so until it’s semi-frozen. You’ll find it much easier to slice it consistently this way.

Step 2: Marinate the beef

To make the beef tender, juicy and flavorful, this is a crucial step not to be missed.

Put sliced beef in a bowl. Add baking soda, cornstarch, salt, light soy sauce and water. It’s best to rub the meat with your hand, instead of stirring with chopsticks, to efficiently distribute the marinade and “force” the liquid to be fully absorbed by the meat.

Afterward, stir in a little oil to “lock in” the moisture. Leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes but no longer than 4 hours (refrigerate if left longer than 30 minutes).

Step 3: Mix the sauce

While waiting for the beef to marinate, measure and mix all the ingredients for the sauce. So you don’t have to rush and panic once the cooking process starts.

Step 4: Blanch (or steam) the broccoli

If using a wok, bring water to a full boil then add chopped broccoli to blanch briefly. It takes me about 1 minute so the broccoli doesn’t lose its crispiness. Extend the time to 1½ minutes if you prefer a softer texture.

If you’re using a skillet for this dish, boil water enough to cover half the height of the broccoli florets. Cover with a lid to allow the steam to cook the vegetable. Drain and set aside.

Step 5: Sear the beef

Wipe dry the wok/skillet with a kitchen towel/paper. Heat it over medium-high heat then add cooking oil. Spread the marinated beef in a single layer and leave it to sear.

Once the bottom side turns light brown, flip and stir around to cook a little further. Transfer out as soon as most of the pieces lose their pinkness. Do not overcook.

Step 6: Combine the dish

Pour a little more oil into the wok/skillet. Fry minced garlic and ginger until they brown a little. Turn the heat to low. Stir the sauce mixture well, then pour it in.

Add the blanched broccoli and seared beef. Toss constantly while the sauce thickens. Watch attentively. Once it reaches the desired consistency (when it can coat the spatula with a thin layer but is still runny), turn off the heat immediately.

🛎 Note: It’s important that you keep the heat low during this step so that the starchy sauce doesn’t thicken too quickly. Also remember that as the dish cools, the consistency will become a little thicker.

If by accident your sauce becomes too sticky, don’t panic. Add a little water and stir well to thin it gradually.

What to serve with

The simplest way to enjoy is to serve it with a bowl of plain steamed rice. Don’t forget to scoop all the sauce and mix it with the rice.

It works as a noodle topping too. Either shop-bought dried noodles or homemade ones, such as hand-pulled noodles, fresh ramen, etc.

When serving it at dinners, I would pair it with other savory dishes that don’t involve stir-frying (for a more efficient workflow), for example, a salad like Smashed Cucumber, a steamed dish like Chicken & Mushroom, a soup like Egg Drop Soup, etc.

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