Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 kgsliced beef (eye fillet recommended)
• 30 mlsoy sauce
• 30 mloyster sauce
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspbicarbonate of soda
• 10 mlcornflour
• 30 mloil (peanut oil recommended)
• 1red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 heaped tbspginger-garlic paste or fresh ginger and garlic
• 3 cm piecelemongrass, finely chopped
• ¼ bunchspring onions
• 2 bunchesChinese broccoli, sliced, with thick stems removed or cooked at the beginning with the onions
• 60 mlsoy sauce
• 60 mlwater
• 2½ tbspkecap manis
• 2 tbspoyster sauce
• To tastespring onion, finely sliced
• To tastecrispy shallots
• To tastered chilli
• To tastecoriander leaves

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the marinade

   Combine the beef with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, bicarbonate of soda and cornflour in a bowl. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   Heat half the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and broccoli stems, if using, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the ginger-garlic paste, lemongrass and spring onion; stir-fry for 2 minutes, then remove the mixture from the wok and set aside.

3. 3

   Brown the beef

   Add the remaining oil to the wok. Working in batches, stir-fry the beef over a high heat until browned.

4. 4

   Finish the stir-fry

   Return the onion mixture and beef to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, water, kecap manis and oyster sauce, along with the broccoli leaves. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Garnish and serve

   Take the wok off the heat and serve the stir-fry with jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced spring onion, chilli, crispy shallots and coriander leaves.

What is beef stir-fry?

Stir-frying is a Chinese cooking technique in which small pieces of food are cooked quickly over high heat, traditionally in a wok. This version pairs beef and Chinese broccoli with aromatics and a sauce that brings together soy, oyster sauce and sweet kecap manis.

Cooking the vegetables and beef separately helps each brown or soften without crowding the wok. The beef’s marinade also seasons it before it meets the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 470 calories, 57g protein, 16g carbs, 17g fat.

The beef provides most of the protein, while the oil and beef contribute much of the fat. The sauces and kecap manis add carbohydrates and a substantial share of the sodium; the figures here exclude the suggested jasmine rice, which is not quantified in the ingredient list. Serve with a moderate portion of rice and plenty of the broccoli for a balanced plate.

The marinade matters

Beef: Eye fillet is suggested, but another tender cut sliced thinly can also work. Marinate it for at least 1 hour so the seasoning has time to coat the slices.

Cornflour and bicarbonate of soda: These are mixed into the marinade with the sauces and pepper. Measure them carefully, as the recipe gives a specific amount for each.

Prepare the broccoli

Stems: The recipe allows for thick stems to be removed or cooked from the start with the onion. They take longer to soften than the leaves, so slice them thinly if adding them to the wok.

Leaves: Add these with the sauce near the end of cooking. Their shorter cooking time helps them soften without spending the whole stir-fry in the wok.

Keep the wok hot

Vegetables first: Stir-fry the onion and any broccoli stems, then add the aromatics and spring onion. Set this mixture aside before cooking the beef.

Beef in batches: Use a high heat and avoid putting all the beef in the wok at once. Batches leave the surface hot enough to brown the slices rather than letting them release moisture and stew.

When is it ready?

Follow the recipe’s timings as a guide: 2–3 minutes for the onion, 2 minutes for the aromatics, 1 minute after returning the beef and onion mixture, then 2–3 minutes with the sauce and broccoli leaves.

The onion should be soft and the beef browned before you add the sauce. Keep the final stir-fry moving, and take it off the heat after the stated time.

Serve it with rice

Jasmine rice is the suggested accompaniment and makes this saucy stir-fry a more substantial meal. Cook the rice separately while the beef marinates or the wok ingredients are being prepared.

Finish with spring onion, chilli, crispy shallots and coriander leaves. The coriander is specifically called out in the recipe, while chilli can be adjusted to suit your preference.

Recipe notes & tips

• Slice the beef thinly so it cooks quickly in the hot wok.
• Have the vegetables, sauce ingredients and garnishes ready before you begin stir-frying.
• Marinate the beef for at least 1 hour, as directed.
• Cook the beef in batches to help it brown.
• Add the broccoli stems with the onion if you are keeping them in the dish.
• Serve as soon as the final 2–3 minutes of stir-frying are complete.

Variations

• Use another tender cut: Slice it thinly in place of the suggested eye fillet.
• Adjust the chilli: Add less or more red chilli to suit your preferred heat.
• Add the broccoli stems: Slice them and cook them with the onion as the recipe suggests.
• Use fresh aromatics: Replace the ginger-garlic paste with fresh ginger and garlic.
• Change the garnish: Use more or less crispy shallot, spring onion or coriander to finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the wok: The beef may not brown well, so stir-fry it in batches.
• Skipping the marinade time: Leave the beef for at least 1 hour as directed.
• Adding broccoli stems too late: Cook thick stems with the onion or remove them.
• Cooking the leaves for too long: Add them with the sauce near the end.
• Forgetting to set aside the vegetables: Remove the onion mixture before browning the beef, then return it to the wok.

How to store

Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened; store rice separately if possible.

Frequently asked questions