Chinese Beef Stir-Fry with Broccoli and Garlic Recipe
Beef stir-fried with broccoli is one of those dishes that disappears from plates in Chinese eateries within minutes. Tender slices of meat in an aromatic garlic-soy sauce and crunchy broccoli create a combination similar to Polish meat stew with vegetables, just in a quicker and lighter version. Perfect for a quick lunch with rice.
This stir-fry combines tender beef, crunchy broccoli and a glossy garlic-soy sauce, giving you the comforting feel of a meat stew in a much faster and lighter version. It’s ideal when you want a restaurant-style Chinese dish at home in under 30 minutes.
Chef's tips
Slice the beef as thinly as possible and always against the grain – this is the key to tenderness, even with quick frying. Make sure the pan or wok is really hot before adding the meat, otherwise it will release juices and start to stew instead of sear. Prepare and measure all ingredients in advance, because once you start stir-frying, everything goes very quickly.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls with jasmine or basmati rice, or with rice noodles. Add a side of quick cucumber salad with rice vinegar or kimchi for contrast. Finish with extra sesame seeds, chili oil or a squeeze of lime for freshness.
Ingredients
- beef tenderloin or ribeye cut into thin slices against the grain - 350 g
- broccoli medium, divided into small florets - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- fresh ginger optional but recommended - 2 cm
- soy sauce - 4 tablespoons
- water for the sauce - 80 ml
- potato or corn starch 1 teaspoon for the meat, 1 for the sauce - 2 teaspoons
- oil e.g. rapeseed - 3 tablespoons
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- sesame oil for aroma, can be omitted - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt for seasoning the broccoli
- black pepper freshly ground - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Slice the beef very thinly against the grain. In a bowl, mix the meat with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of starch and a pinch of pepper. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
- Wash the broccoli and divide it into small florets. Bring a pot of water with 0.5 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2–3 minutes, until it turns bright green and slightly softens but is still firm. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and grate it on a fine grater.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, the water, sugar and 1 teaspoon of starch. Stir until there are no lumps.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan or wok over high heat. When the oil is very hot (it should shimmer slightly), add the beef. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the meat turns brown and is no longer raw. Transfer the meat to a plate.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil, then the garlic and ginger. Fry for about 30 seconds over medium heat, stirring constantly, until you smell a strong aroma, but do not let them brown.
- Add the pre-cooked broccoli to the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes so it gets coated with the garlic and ginger aroma.
- Pour in the prepared sauce (soy sauce with water, sugar and starch). Stir and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes slightly glossy.
- Return the fried beef to the pan, mix everything together and stir-fry for about 1 more minute to heat the meat through. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
- Serve immediately with hot rice or rice noodles.
Storage
Danie przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj na patelni z odrobiną wody, aby sos się nie przypalił. Można zamrozić, ale brokuł po rozmrożeniu będzie bardziej miękki.
