Beef and broccoli is a delicious combination… I want to say brown and green but that doesn’t sound very poetic. Anyway, despite broccoli not being the most popular vegetable, prepared this way it can be given even to the fussiest infants! Trust me!
The origins of beef a,d broccoli
So here, I tried to investigate where exactly this dish came from without success or if it had an interesting history. All I found is that beef with broccoli is not 100% native to Chinese cuisine and would be a cousin of chop suey. If someone has a lead on the precise origin of beef with broccoli, let me know!
Ingredients for stir-fried beef with broccoli
Dark soy sauce and light soy sauce: It is essential to get both for a truly authentic taste. The difference between the two soy sauces is explained here in my article on the subject
Shaoxing wine: This is the quintessential Chinese cooking wine! Substitutes exist but obviously, nothing beats the original. Come learn more about what it is, where to buy it and how to replace it here
Sesame oil: A classic in Asian cuisine, it gives a delicious taste. Be careful not to overuse it though, its powerful flavor can easily overpower the rest of the ingredients. Learn more in my article on the subject.
Tips for successful beef with broccoli
This recipe is delicious as written, but you can change the ingredients to customize it to your taste if you wish.
Meat: Instead of beef chunks, try ground beef, sliced chicken breast, shrimp, pork tenderloin or cubed tofu… the possibilities are endless!
Vegetables: Don’t hesitate to add other vegetables such as sliced carrots, bok choy, mushrooms, snow peas, bell peppers, …
Additions: You can add sriracha or chili oil for some heat. Cashews, sesame seeds or almonds can be delicious for texture.
If you liked this recipe, then you’ll love my beef with onions! If you’re not sure how to choose your soy sauce, come discover my complete article on the different types of soy sauces
Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Matériel
- 1 Wok
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 60 ml water
- 3 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon of light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Shaoxing wine
- 0.25 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
Other
- Cooking oil
- 360 g thinly sliced beef
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of ginger, minced
- 1 broccoli cut (just the upper part, don’t use the large thick stem)
- 230 ml water
Procédé
- Mix the sauce ingredients together
- Over high heat, with a little oil, brown the beef for 1 min
- Stir the meat for 10 seconds and add the ginger and garlic. Mix until the beef is no longer pink
- Add the sauce and water and mix quickly
- As soon as it boils, add the broccoli and mix to coat it with sauce until it thickens
- Lower to medium heat and stir for 5 min until the broccoli is cooked
- Serve over rice
