Beef and Broccoli

Method

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1. Toss the sliced beef with the bicarbonate of soda and 2 tablespoons of water and leave 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry.

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2. Mix the beef with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and cornflour, then the tablespoon of oil, which stops it clumping in the wok. Rest 15 minutes.

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3. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and keep beside the hob.

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4. Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 90 seconds, then drain and run under cold water. Dry thoroughly — wet broccoli will steam instead of searing.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

5. Heat a wok over the highest heat until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and spread the beef in a single layer. Leave 45 seconds without touching it, then stir-fry 60 seconds until just browned. Remove.

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6. Add the last tablespoon of oil, then the garlic and ginger for 20 seconds.

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7. Add the broccoli and toss 60 seconds, then return the beef.

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8. Stir the sauce and pour it around the edge of the wok. Toss for 60 to 90 seconds until it thickens and glazes everything.

   Mark done Start 60 sec timer

9. Serve immediately over steamed rice.

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Chef’s Tips

• Rinse the bicarbonate off properly or the beef will taste soapy.
• Slice against the grain and as thin as you can. Half-freezing the steak for 20 minutes makes this far easier.
• A wok that is not smoking is not hot enough. Cook in batches rather than dropping the temperature.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager or a light Pinot Noir
• Serve with jasmine rice
• Finish with orange segments

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days. Reheat in a hot wok for 2 minutes; the broccoli softens on standing but the flavour holds.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.