This Chinese beef dish was my favorite childhood dinner. In the late 1970's my mom started exploring new recipes with fresh ingredients like this Chinese stir fry dish. She started moving away from her generation's "convenience" recipes, which utilized packaged ingredients like Lipton onion soup mix, ketchup, and Campbell's soup. She was ahead of her time. One night when I was a child, we dined at a local Chinese restaurant, and my mom noticed a cookbook that was for sale: Madame Wong's Long-Life Chinese Cookbook.
My mom started cooking from the book, and this recipe quickly became a family favorite.
Variations:
The beauty of a stir fry is that you can personalize the ingredients to your preference or what is seasonal. My mom usually made the dish with Beef and Onions, just like they made at Liu's Chinese Restaurant in Beverly Hills. We enjoyed many Sunday night dinners at this restaurant, but sadly this first-rate restaurant is long gone. Over the years my mom and I both tweaked Madame Wong's recipe. For a long time I kept this dish simple with Beef, Broccoli and Onions. In the current version, I added an assortment of vegetables such as broccoli, baby bok choy, Chinese pea pods, carrots, and water chestnuts. This used to be a meat-centric dish, but now meat and vegetables share the spot light. If you don't eat meat, try this dish with tofu or fish. Serve with brown jasmine rice.
A variation on vegetables
A version made with salmon and mixed vegetables
A note about the beef:
Filet mignon is a very tender, expensive cut of meat. Sirloin is a less expensive cut of meat that can be tenderized by cutting thinly across the grain, and by tossing with cornstarch and letting it sit several minutes. If you are using grass fed beef, be careful not to overcook it.
Make ahead tips:
I ask the butcher to slice the meat for me, which cuts down the prep time. I like to cut the vegetables and measure the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup ahead of time. I park everything in the refrigerator until I stir fry at the last minute.
Chinese Stir-Fry With Beef and Vegetables
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons organic cornstarch, divided
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ cup sherry cooking wine or rice wine
- ¼ cup chicken broth or clear vegetable broth
- 1 pound filet mignon or beef sirloin cut across the grain into thin strips (about ¼" thick)
- 4 pinches kosher salt and several grinds of freshly cracked black pepper
- 5 cups mixed raw vegetables cut into bite-sized pieces such as 1 head of broccoli, 3 sliced baby bok choys, 1 sliced carrot, ½ can of sliced water chestnuts and ½ medium onion cut into ½ " strips.
- 1 tablespoon high heat cooking oil such as grapeseed, peanut, or canola
Instructions
- Prepare the meat: sprinkle with several pinches of salt and several grinds of freshly cracked black pepper. If using sirloin, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to help tenderize. If using filet mignon, the cornstarch is not needed in this step. Set aside.
- To make the sauce: Put soy sauce, wine, broth, remaining corn starch, and sugar in a glass measuring cup and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place a large skillet or wok on the stove with medium heat. Pour in enough oil to just cover the bottom of the pan and warm oil. Sauté vegetables for about 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are partially cooked and have turned bright in color. Vegetables should remain crunchy. Set aside.
- Place meat in the skillet. Brown on both sides over medium heat, about 4 minutes. If there is significant liquid in the bottom of the pan, drain out the liquid.
- Add the vegetables and sauce into the skillet with the meat. Stir over medium high heat. Let the meat and vegetables finish cooking in the sauce, about 2 minutes. Stir frequently. The dish is done when the sauce thickens, the meat is cooked through, and the vegetables are crisp tender. Do not overcook or the vegetables will become too soft. Serve immediately.
Notes
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[email protected] says
Dana - I love the story of your mother and the idea of making your own Chinese takeout. Thank you.
Dana says
Hi Patricia- glad you like the post. Thanks for stopping by. See you soon, Dana
Nancy says
I trully miss Liu's Chinese Restaurant in Beverly Hills. The food was excellent there in the 70's when I worked right next door where we spent many lunch hours. I remember the beef and onions.
Dana @ Foodie Goes Healthy says
Nancy, it's so great to find another fan of Liu's! In addition to the first rate food, the restaurant had a elegance to it and wonderful service. Wish I could go back in time, or at least get some recipes.