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Chinese Beef Curry
4.7 from 117 votes

Chinese Beef Curry

This Chinese Beef Curry blends tenderized beef strips with a sauce rich in curry powder, turmeric, and Chinese five-spice. The beef is marinated with baking soda to soften it before being stir-fried with onion, carrot, and red bell pepper. The sauce combines beef broth thickened with cornstarch and flavored with soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and traditional spices, creating a thick, savory coating for the meat and vegetables.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 423 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the stir fry
  • 1 lb beef (see note 1)
  • 1½ tablespoons baking soda (see note 2)
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 1 onion peeled and sliced
  • 1 carrot peeled and sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cloves garlic sliced
For the sauce
  • 2 cups beef broth low sodium (see note 3)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or cornflour
  • 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine (see note 4)
  • 1½ tablespoons curry powder (see note 5)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric
  • pinch Chinese five-spice see note 6
  • pinch white pepper (see note 7)

Instructions

Start with tenderizing the beef.
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut the beef into thin strips across the grain.1 lb / 454 g beef
  2. Place in a non-metallic bowl and sprinkle with the baking soda. Stir gently to coat all of the beef. Then cover and let the beef marinate for 15 minutes.1½ tablespoons baking soda
  3. Wash off the baking soda and rinse the beef several times. (See note 8)
  4. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and set it to one side.
Next, make the sauce.
  1. Add all the sauce ingredients into a large measuring cup/jug and stir well. Ensure the broth is cold to stop the cornstarch from clumping.2 cups / 480 ml beef broth2 tablespoons cornstarch/cornflour2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine1½ tablespoons curry powder1 teaspoon soy sauce½ teaspoon sugar½ teaspoon turmericpinch Chinese 5-spicepinch white pepper
For the stir fry
  1. Pour the oil into a heavy-based frying pan or wok and place over high heat.2 tablespoons oil
  2. Add the sliced onions to the oil and stir-fry them over high heat for 2 minutes.1 onion
  3. Add the sliced carrots and bell pepper, then stir fry them over high heat for 2 minutes.1 carrot1 red bell pepper
  4. Add the beef to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the salt and stir.½ teaspoon salt
  5. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.2 cloves garlic
  6. Give the prepared sauce another stir, then pour it into the pan. The sauce will thicken quickly, so stir it to coat your stir fry.
  7. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Choose flank steak, skirt steak, rump, sizzle steaks, or round steaks for the beef; prepackaged stir-fry strips also work.
  • Use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to tenderize beef, but rinse well multiple times to remove residue that can affect taste.
  • Use low sodium beef broth or substitute with chicken or vegetable broth depending on availability and preference.
  • Use cold broth when mixing with cornstarch to prevent lumps in the sauce.
  • Chinese cooking wine is different from rice wine vinegar; dry sherry can be used as a substitute.
  • Choose mild, medium, or hot curry powder depending on taste preference.
  • Chinese five-spice adds warmth to the dish but can be omitted if unavailable.
  • White pepper is traditional, but black pepper can be used as an alternative.

Nutrition Information

Calories 423kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 31g (48%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g (18%) Monounsaturated Fat 15g (75%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 81mg (27%) Sodium 2173mg (91%) Potassium 577mg (12%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 3502IU (70%) Vitamin C 42mg (47%) Calcium 56mg (6%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 423

% Daily Value*

Calories 423kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 13g 4%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 31g 48%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 81mg 27%
Sodium 2173mg 91%
Potassium 577mg 12%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 3502IU 70%
Vitamin C 42mg 47%
Calcium 56mg 6%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.