Beef With Chinese Broccoli
Ingredients
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- 1 pound flank steak – thinly sliced against the grain (~0.5 n/a flank steaks)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper – ground
- 1 pound Chinese broccoli (gai lan) – stems and leaves separated; thick stems halved lengthwise
- 3 cloves garlic – thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger – finely minced
- 1/4 cup chicken stock – low-sodium
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil – to finish
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine the sliced steak with baking soda, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and white pepper until the liquids are absorbed and the surface looks tacky; marinate 15 minutes.
2. Trim the Chinese broccoli: rinse well, separate leaves from stems, and split any thick stems lengthwise.
3. In a small bowl, whisk chicken stock, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar until dissolved; set aside.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the stems 45–60 seconds, then add the leaves and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 15–20 seconds more. Drain well and let excess water steam off.
5. Heat a wok (or large skillet) over high heat until very hot. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat.
6. Add the marinated slices in a single layer; sear undisturbed 30 seconds, then stir-fry until mostly cooked through (still slightly pink in spots), 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
7. Return the wok to high heat and add garlic and ginger; stir-fry until fragrant, 10–15 seconds.
8. Add the drained greens and toss over high heat until sizzling and glossy, 30–60 seconds.
9. Return the meat and any juices. Stir the sauce and pour it around the sides of the wok; toss constantly until everything is coated and the liquid reduces to a shiny glaze, 45–90 seconds. Beef should be just cooked through.
10. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, toss, and serve immediately.
Beef With Chinese Broccoli pairs tender, velvety slices of beef with crisp-tender gai lan, a leafy brassica prized for its sweet-bitter bite and juicy stems. The dish is built around intense wok searing and a glossy, savory sauce balancing soy depth, oyster sweetness, and subtle aromatics. Texturally it is all contrast—succulent meat against snappy greens—with a clean finish lifted by sesame.
Rooted in Cantonese cookery, this stir-fry is a staple in Hong Kong and Guangdong restaurants and home kitchens alike. Its technique reflects classic southern Chinese methods: velveting beef for tenderness, briefly blanching greens to set color, and reducing a sauce to coat. It likely developed alongside the rise of oyster sauce in Guangdong in the late 19th century, and today it is a mainstay of banquet menus and casual rice-plate shops, distinct from the Westernized “beef and broccoli” made with American broccoli.