INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BEEF MARINADE
- 8 ounces of beef (I’m using chuck tender)
- 1 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine
- 2 tsp of light soy sauce
- 1 tsp of cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp of black pepper
- 1/4 tsp of baking soda
- 1 tsp of oil
FOR THE STIR-FRY
- 1 cup of broccoli
- 1 tbsp of minced garlic
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp of light soy sauce
- 1 tsp of dark soy sauce (just for the color)
- 2-3 tbsp of water
- 2 tsp of cornstarch
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper (or as much as you like)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice your beef into thin pieces. I am using chuck tender. Make sure you cut against the fiber. TMarinate it with 1 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine, 2 tsp of light soy sauce, 1 tsp of cornstarch, some freshly ground pepper and 1/4 tsp of baking soda. This is what Chinese restaurants do to tenderize the beef- especially if they are using a tough cut of beef. Without baking soda, it’s gonna be a disaster.
- After it is well combined. We make the sauce. 1 tbsp of light soy sauce, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce, 2-3 tbsp of water, 2 tsp of cornstarch, some black pepper
- Cut the broccoli into bite sizes. Blanch it in boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes. Don’t cover it or else the broccoli will lose its green color. Turn off the heat and put it into ice water for 3-5 minutes to stop the cooking process. Take it out and shake off the excess water. Using this technique, the broccoli will stay fresh and crunchy.
- Next, fry the beef. Heat up about 1 tbsp of oil. Give it a toss so the bottom is coated nicely.
- Add in the beef. Try to separate it so most of the beef touches the bottom of the wok. Let one side fry for 15-20 seconds. Use your spatula to flip it over and fry the other side for 15-20 seconds. You should also be able to smell the scent of the smoky beef. So good. Take it out and set it aside.
- In the same wok, add a little bit of oil. Put in some garlic and give it a stir. Pour the sauce into the hot wok. It will start thickening quickly. Then add in the broccoli. Mix it a little bit. Add the beef back into the wok. Coat it nicely. You are done.his way, your beef will be less chewy.