Chinese Beef with Garlic Sauce
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
267 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Chinese Beef with Garlic Sauce
Description
This dish starts by cutting beef into thin strips against the grain and marinating with baking soda to tenderize the meat. After rinsing the baking soda off thoroughly and drying, the beef is ready for stir-frying. The sauce blends cold chicken stock with cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, and black pepper to form a thick, glossy coating when cooked.
The stir fry involves cooking beef with sliced green onions and garlic, finishing with crunchy beansprouts for contrast. The baking soda method softens even less expensive cuts like flank or skirt steak, while the sauce gives typical rich, savory flavors common in Chinese takeout style dishes.
The notes recommend specific beef cuts suitable for this recipe and clarify that cold broth ensures smooth incorporation of cornstarch for the sauce. Chinese cooking wine can be substituted with dry sherry or sake if unavailable.
Rinsing the baking soda thoroughly removes its bitter taste after tenderizing. Adjusting the cornstarch quantity can yield a thinner sauce if preferred.
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 1 pound beef steaks - see note 1
- 1 ½ tablespoon baking soda - see note 2
- 3 green onion or spring onion
- 4 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup beansprouts
For the sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock see note 3, or broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine - see note 4
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch black pepper white is traditional
Instructions
Start with tenderizing the chicken.
- Cut the beef into thin strips across the grain.1 pound / 454 g beef (steaks)
- 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.1 ½ tablespoon baking soda
- Wash off the baking soda and rinse the beef several times. (See note 5)
- Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and set it to one side.
Next, make the sauce.
- 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.½ cup / 120 ml chicken stock/broth1 tablespoon cornstarch1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine1 tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon oyster sauce½ teaspoon sesame oilpinch pepper
For the stir fry
- Remove the roots from the green onion and chop them into 2-inch (5cm) length chunks. Peel and thinly slice the garlic.3 green onions/spring onions4 clove garlic
- Pour the oil into a heavy-based frying pan or wok and place over high heat.2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the green onions to the oil (be careful it can spit) and stir fry them for 1 minute to flavor the oil.
- Add the beef to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the sliced garlic and stir constantly for a minute.
- Add the beansprouts, stir to combine, and cook for another minute.1 cup / 100 g beansprouts
- Give the prepared sauce another stir, and then pour it into the pan. The sauce will thicken quickly, so stir it to coat your stir fry. (see note 7).
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Flank or skirt steak are recommended for value and tenderness; rump or sizzle steaks work as alternatives.
- Baking soda (also called bicarbonate of soda) is used to tenderize the beef but must be thoroughly rinsed off to avoid off flavors.
- Green onions are known as scallions in the US and spring onions in other regions.
- Use cold broth to dissolve cornstarch fully and prevent clumping in the sauce.
- Chinese cooking wine is traditionally used but dry sherry or sake are acceptable substitutes.
- The sauce thickens quickly to a classic thick Chinese takeout style, but reducing cornstarch to ½ tablespoon yields a thinner sauce if desired.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 267kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.03g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 69mg | 23% |
| Sodium | 1736mg | 72% |
| Potassium | 508mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 96IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 43mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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