Chinese Beef Stir-Fry with Celery and Bell Pepper Recipe
This is a quick dish of thinly sliced beef stir-fried with crunchy celery and bell pepper in an aromatic sauce. In Chinese homes, such wok dishes are classics – lots of vegetables, a bit of meat and a bowl of rice. Celery adds freshness and a light crunch, a bit like in a salad, only served hot.
This dish showcases a typically Chinese approach: lots of crunchy vegetables, thin slices of beef and an aromatic sauce that ties everything together into one bold whole. Celery, usually associated with salads, gets a new life here – after a quick stir-fry it stays firm, fresh and slightly peppery.
Chef's tips
I slice the beef very thinly across the grain and often marinate it briefly in a little soy sauce and starch – this keeps it tender and helps it cook quickly. I add the vegetables to a very hot pan or wok and stir-fry them briefly, in batches if needed, so they don’t stew in their own juices; overcrowding the pan is the most common mistake in stir-frying. I prepare the sauce in a bowl beforehand so that on the hot pan I only need to pour it in instead of frantically reaching for bottles of seasonings.
How to serve
The beef is best served with hot jasmine rice or rice noodles, in a large sharing bowl in the middle of the table. It works well as a quick yet impressive after-work dinner, especially when you want to avoid a heavy, cream-based sauce. It pairs nicely with lightly chilled green tea, or for a more “weekend” feel – a light beer or homemade lime lemonade.
Ingredients
- beef for stew or steak e.g. sirloin, ribeye, cut into thin strips - 350 g
- celery stalks without leaves - 4 stalks
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- fresh ginger piece about 3 cm - 15 g
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- oyster sauce can be replaced with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 0.5 teaspoon sugar - 1.5 tablespoons
- rice vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- potato or corn starch 1 teaspoon for the meat, 1 for the sauce - 2 teaspoons
- water for the sauce - 60 ml
- oil for frying - 3 tablespoons
- chili flakes or fresh chili to taste - 0.5 teaspoons
- white pepper optional - 0.25 teaspoons
Preparation
- Cut the beef into very thin strips, preferably at a slight angle so the pieces are larger and cook faster. Transfer to a bowl, add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon starch and a pinch of white pepper. Mix with your hand and set aside for 10–15 minutes.
- Wash the celery, trim the ends and cut into diagonal pieces about 3–4 cm long. If the stalks are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise.
- Wash the bell pepper, remove the core and seeds, and cut into strips.
- Peel the garlic and chop finely. Peel the ginger with a teaspoon and cut into thin matchsticks or chop finely.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, 1 teaspoon starch, water and chili flakes. Stir until the starch dissolves.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the beef in a single layer. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat turns brown and is no longer raw inside. Transfer the beef to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for about 30 seconds, stirring, until they become very fragrant.
- Add the celery and bell pepper. Stir-fry over high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables soften slightly but remain crisp.
- Return the cooked beef and any juices from the plate to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Stir the sauce in the bowl again (starch tends to settle at the bottom) and pour it into the pan. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the meat and vegetables evenly.
- Taste and, if needed, season with a little more soy sauce or a pinch of sugar. Serve immediately with hot rice.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat quickly in a hot pan or wok with a splash of water so the beef doesn’t dry out.
