Finally, I've come to Lucy's all time favorite family dish! My dad, Alan, loves to make this Chinese restaurant favorite, but he makes it slightly differently to mine - cooking his meat first and steaming the broccoli separately. Of course, there are many recipes for beef and broccoli, but my version is very basic and so simple (especially for Lucy), made in one pan and can be ready to eat in 30 minutes - eat your heart out Rachel Ray!
The beef I always buy for this recipe is a Sirloin steak, which can be $5 or $6 a piece, which is not bad for a dinner for 4. If you really want to splash out, then you can go ahead and buy filet, which will be the most tender cut of beef, but will be much more expensive. However, don't even think about making this without oyster sauce, it really gives it an authentic taste. You can find it any supermarket nowadays, but you'll find 2 types - oyster flavored sauce and the real oyster sauce, which will be more expensive. Keep it in the fridge, it adds great flavor to most Chinese dishes. The other addition which makes it taste authentic is 5-spice powder, it's a ground mix of cinnamon, star anise, ginger, cloves and nutmeg and can be bought in Chinese grocery stores.
Remember that the most important thing when stir-frying is to prep all your ingredients before you even start thinking about cooking (mise en place). Have all those vegetables chopped, the meat sliced and the sauces measured and you'll find that nothing will be burned or overcooked. I do hope you try this recipe, by the way, it must be served with hot steamed white or brown rice. We also give it a squirt of chili "Sriracha" sauce, to give it a bit of heat - Ymmmm!
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
(Serve 4)
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 inch root ginger, peeled and chopped or grated
1 pound broccoli, cut into small sprigs
1 1/2 pounds Sirloin steak, thinly sliced and cut into 2 inch strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1 cup beef or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon 5 spice powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large saute pan with lid, heat the 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, cook the onion, garlic and ginger until translucent and fragrant.
- Add the prepared broccoli to the pan and increase heat to high. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, add about 1/4 cup of broth to the pan and cover with lid. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the broccoli is crisp tender.
- Set aside in a bowl.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over high heat. Add the sliced beef to the pan and stir-fry until the meat is evenly browned. Do not overcook or the meat will be tough.
- Deglaze the pan with the beef broth, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Add the soy and oyster sauces (and 5-spice powder if using), mixing well. More broth may be added if you prefer more sauce.
- Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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