Beef and broccoli stir fry

I don't really like stir fries unless I eat them at a Chinese restaurant, and I think it's largely because the meat (if you're using meat) doesn't taste the same.

In the restaurants, they're always so tender and soft, and at home they have a much more tough texture. After reading about it, they said that sprinkling bicarb soda over the protein for 30 mins before cooking it is the secret, so I tried it, and it works!!

This stir fry is DELICIOUS and just like in the restaurants. But better because you actually know what's being put in it!

This marinade would work just fine with chicken or lamb too, or if you're a vegetarian, mix in more veggies with some tofu, or keep it simple with shiitake mushrooms and broccoli.

Prep time: 35 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

Ingredients

250g lean beef, cut into strips

250g broccoli, cut into small florets

1 tsp bicarb soda

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2cm ginger, finely grated

Salt to taste

1 tbsp neutral oil

Marinade

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tsp white pepper

Cornstarch slurry

1 tsp cornstarch + 45 ml water mixed well

Method

1. Place your beef into a bowl and sprinkle with the bicarb soda. Mix well then set aside for 20-30 minutes.

2. Cut up your broccoli into bite size pieces, then rinse them in water and set aside.

3. Grate and crush your garlic and ginger.

4. In a large fry pan, heat the oil, then add in the broccoli followed by the ginger and garlic. Stir fry for about 10 minutes or until the broccoli is just cooked. You want it to still be firm with a crunch.

5. Take the broccoli out of the pan and leave on a plate to the side while you rinse the bicarb off the beef strips well, and pat the beef dry.

6. Add the beef to the fry pan, adding a pinch of salt until mostly cooked.

7. Add the broccoli back in with the beef.

8. Mix all the marinade ingredients together, then pour over the beef and broccoli.

9. Once combined, add the cornstarch slurry, adding only as much as you need until the sauce thickens.

10. Serve with rice or noodles.

Notes

• Make sure you thoroughly rinse your beef. It will NOT taste nice if you still have bicarb on the beef when you go to cook it.

• If the frypan doesn't have any residue oil from the broccoli before you add the beef, feel free to add a teaspoon more.

• You can also add other vegetables if you want more, and cook them at the same time as the broccoli

• If you don't have Shaoxing wine, you can change it with beef stock or Mirin if you like.