Effortless Beef Broccoli (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Meat and Marinade
01 -
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
02 -
1 tablespoon cornstarch
03 -
1 tablespoon peanut oil (use vegetable oil as a swap)
04 -
1 tablespoon soy sauce
05 -
1 lb skirt steak, flank steak, or similar cut
→ Sauce
06 -
1 tablespoon cornstarch
07 -
2 teaspoons brown sugar (white sugar works too)
08 -
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
09 -
2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
10 -
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (optional, dry sherry works too)
11 -
1/2 cup chicken broth (beef broth is another option)
→ Stir-fry
12 -
2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
13 -
3 garlic cloves, minced
14 -
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
15 -
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
# Instructions:
01 -
Cut the meat into strips about 0.5 cm thick or wider if you'd like sturdier pieces. Toss them in a small dish with the soy sauce, peanut oil, and cornstarch. Use your hands to make sure every slice gets a nice coat of marinade. Let the beef rest for around 10 minutes while you get the other stuff ready.
02 -
Grab a medium bowl, drop in all the sauce ingredients, and stir till they come together nicely.
03 -
Pour about 1/4 cup of water into a big pan and set it to medium-high heat. Let it bubble, then toss in the broccoli. Cover it up and steam until the florets soften but still look bright, about a minute. Scoop the broccoli onto a plate, and if there’s leftover water, a quick wipe of the pan with some paper towels will clean it up.
04 -
Drizzle some oil into the clean pan, making sure to coax it around the bottom. Heat on medium-high. Lay out the beef in a single layer. Let it sit undisturbed for half a minute to brown underneath. Flip and let the other side cook briefly. Stir the slices around until they're lightly browned outside but still rosy inside.
05 -
Toss the minced garlic and ginger into the pan with the beef. Stir them quickly a few times, just enough to get that lovely smell going.
06 -
Put the steamed broccoli back into the pan. Stir the sauce to make sure the cornstarch isn’t clumped up, then pour it into the pan. Stir everything while the sauce thickens, which should only take a minute or so. Move everything to a plate and serve while it's still hot.
# Notes:
01 -
For tougher beef, mix in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and let it sit with the marinade for half an hour to make it more tender.
02 -
Dark soy sauce brings a rich flavor; if unavailable, try using 1/2 teaspoon of molasses instead.
03 -
No peanut oil? Add 1/2 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil right after cooking for extra aroma.