Tender beef stir-fried with Chinese broccoli (gai lan) in savory sauce.
Gai lan is available at Asian grocery stores; Chinese broccoli or kai-lan are alternate names. Oil velveting uses more oil but creates superior texture; oil can be strained and reused.
Alternatively, water-velvet by blanching beef in boiling water for 30 seconds, though texture differs. Flank steak is easiest to slice thin; hanger steak or flat iron also work well.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb Flank steak, sliced paper-thin against the grain
- 1 Egg white
- 1 ½ tbsp Cornstarch (for velveting)
- 2 tsp Light soy sauce (for marinade)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for marinade)
- ¼ tsp White pepper
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (for marinade)
- 2 cup Vegetable oil (for velveting)
- 1 lb Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (for wok)
- 4 Garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 6 Fresh ginger, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for wok)
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce (for sauce)
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp Chicken stock
- ½ tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch (for sauce slurry)
- 1 tbsp Water (for slurry)
- ½ tsp Toasted sesame oil (for finishing)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 lb Flank steak, sliced paper-thin against the grain
- 1 Egg white
- 1 ½ tbsp Cornstarch (for velveting)
- 2 tsp Light soy sauce (for marinade)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for marinade)
- ¼ tsp White pepper
- 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (for marinade)
- 2 cup Vegetable oil (for velveting)
- 1 lb Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (for wok)
- 4 Garlic cloves, smashed and minced
- 6 Fresh ginger, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for wok)
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce (for sauce)
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp Chicken stock
- ½ tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch (for sauce slurry)
- 1 tbsp Water (for slurry)
- ½ tsp Toasted sesame oil (for finishing)
Instructions
Velvet the beef
In a bowl, combine sliced beef with egg white, cornstarch, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly with your hands until beef is evenly coated and mixture is slightly sticky. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Equipment
- small bowls
Ingredients
- flank steak, sliced paper-thin (1 lb)
- egg white (1 whole)
- cornstarch (1 ½ tbsp)
- light soy sauce (2 tsp)
- Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp)
- white pepper (¼ tsp)
- toasted sesame oil (1 tsp)
Prepare gai lan and sauce
Trim 1 inch from gai lan stems. Cut stems into 2-inch pieces; keep leafy tops separate. In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, and sugar. In another small bowl, mix cornstarch with water for slurry. Set both aside.
Equipment
- small bowls
- cutting board
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- gai lan (1 lb)
- light soy sauce (1 tbsp)
- dark soy sauce (1 tsp)
- oyster sauce (2 tbsp)
- chicken stock (3 tbsp)
- sugar (½ tsp)
- cornstarch (1 tsp)
- water (1 tbsp)
Blanch gai lan
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add gai lan stems and cook 1 minute. Add leafy tops and cook 30 seconds more. Drain immediately and spread on a plate. Do not rinse; residual heat finishes cooking.
Oil-velvet the beef
Heat oil in wok to 275-300°F, using a thermometer to monitor. Loosen beef slices so they don't clump. Carefully add beef to oil, stirring gently to separate pieces. Cook 45 seconds to 1 minute until beef is just barely cooked (still slightly pink). Immediately remove with spider strainer to a plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil from wok.
Equipment
- wok
- spider strainer or slotted spoon
- deep-fry thermometer
Ingredients
- vegetable oil (2 cup)
Stir-fry the aromatics
Heat wok with reserved oil over high heat (400-450°F surface) until smoking. Add garlic and ginger, stir-fry 15 seconds until fragrant. Add Shaoxing wine around the edges; it should sizzle and mostly evaporate within seconds.
Equipment
- wok
- wok spatula
Ingredients
- vegetable oil (2 tbsp)
- garlic cloves (4 cloves), smashed and minced
- fresh ginger (6 slices), sliced thin
- Shaoxing wine (2 tbsp)
Combine and finish
Add blanched gai lan to wok and toss 20 seconds. Return velveted beef and toss to combine. Pour in sauce mixture and toss 15 seconds. If sauce needs thickening, add a splash of cornstarch slurry and toss until glossy, about 10 seconds more. Sauce should lightly coat ingredients, not pool. Remove from heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve immediately.
Equipment
- wok
- wok spatula
Ingredients
- toasted sesame oil (½ tsp)
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Gai lan is available at Asian grocery stores; Chinese broccoli or kai-lan are alternate names.
- • Oil velveting uses more oil but creates superior texture; oil can be strained and reused.
- • Alternatively, water-velvet by blanching beef in boiling water for 30 seconds, though texture differs.
- • Flank steak is easiest to slice thin; hanger steak or flat iron also work well.
- • This is a technique-driven dish; mise en place is essential.
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