Recipe
Beef & broccoli stir-fry
Restaurant-style beef and broccoli: thin slices of beef velveted in a cornstarch marinade so they stay silky, blanched broccoli, and a glossy soy-based sauce that clings to everything.
Beef & broccoli stir-fry takes about 45 minutes and makes 2 servings. Each serving has 715 kcal.
- Preparation
- 30 minutes
- Cooking
- 15 minutes
- Total time
- 45 minutes
- Servings
- 2
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 715 kcal
- Protein
- 48 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 42 g
Ingredients
- Beef (round or chuck)400 g
- Broccoli400 g
- Cornstarch2 tbsp
- Soy sauce5 tbsp
- Rice vinegar1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Garlic3 cloves
- Fresh ginger15 g
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Sunflower oil3 tbsp
Instructions
- 1
Slice the beef against the grain into strips half a centimeter thick. In a bowl, mix it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of water until every slice is coated.
Tip: Cutting against the grain is half the tenderness - look at the direction of the muscle fibers and slice across them. Freezing the meat for 20 minutes makes thin slicing much easier.
- 2
Let the beef rest in its marinade for 20 minutes at room temperature. This is the velveting: the starch coating protects the meat from the fierce heat.
- 3
Meanwhile stir the sauce: the remaining soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, the remaining cornstarch and 100 ml of water. Cut the broccoli into florets, chop the garlic and ginger.
- 4
Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse briefly with cold water so it keeps its color.
- 5
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over the highest heat until it smokes. Spread the beef in a single layer and let it sear undisturbed for a minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Remove.
Tip: Fry the beef in two batches - if the pan cools down, the coating turns gummy instead of seared.
- 6
Add the last spoon of oil and stir-fry the garlic and ginger for a few seconds, then toss in the broccoli and fry for 2 minutes.
- 7
Return the beef, stir the sauce and pour it in. Toss everything while the sauce bubbles and turns thick and glossy, about a minute and a half.
- 8
Serve immediately over steamed rice.
Cooking methods
On the stove
Highest flame you have, and a wok or heavy wide pan preheated until a drop of water skitters. On a weak electric stove work in smaller batches - the pan must hiss the whole time or the beef stews.
On induction
Power 9 for the beef sear, 8 for the vegetables, and drop to 6 when the sauce goes in so the cornstarch thickens without clumping. A flat-bottomed wok makes full contact with the stovetop and works beautifully here.
Over an open fire
A wok over roaring flames is the original setting for this dish - the smoky breath of the fire only improves it. Blanch the broccoli at home or in a pot over the fire first, and keep all ingredients within arm's reach; it cooks in minutes.
Recipe questions
- How long does this recipe take?
- Plan for about 45 minutes from start to finish.
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe makes 2 servings.
- Can I cook this recipe on induction?
- Yes. Power 9 for the beef sear, 8 for the vegetables, and drop to 6 when the sauce goes in so the cornstarch thickens without clumping. A flat-bottomed wok makes full contact with the stovetop and works beautifully here.
- Can I cook this recipe over an open fire?
- Yes. A wok over roaring flames is the original setting for this dish - the smoky breath of the fire only improves it. Blanch the broccoli at home or in a pot over the fire first, and keep all ingredients within arm's reach; it cooks in minutes.
In the app
Cooking the way it should feel
One step on screen, a timer that keeps going, and clear progress until the dish is done.
