Beef Broccoli

Beef Broccoli

March 22: We Love Broccoli Day

When Islander and her brother, Kahuna, were little, Daddy would stir-fry some seafood or meat with flavorful brown sauces. He would also throw in a variety of vegetables for his finicky children to try. One dish the family loved was Chinese-style beef broccoli. Daddy still prepares it for us sometimes whenever we visit him and Mommy in Hawaii, although we do know how to make this on the mainland, too! For a blog post on We Love Broccoli Day, we share a family-favorite recipe for Beef Broccoli.

Recipe

(Inspired by Daddy)

For the beef marinade

  • 1 pound of beef
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sherry
  • 1 tablespoon oil (vegetable or canola)
  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or corn starch

 Directions

Slice the beef into thin strips. In a medium bowl, mix the meat with the baking soda. In another bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, oil and oyster sauce. Mix this marinade into the beef.  Sprinkle in the tapioca flour or corn starch to thicken the marinade slightly. Set aside and make the cooking sauce.

Beef Broccoli

For the cooking sauce

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2-3 tablespoons of chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sherry
  •  1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable or canola)

Directions

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the soy sauce, chicken broth, oyster sauce, sherry and oil. In another dish or measuring cup, make a paste with the corn starch and water. Set aside. Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a skillet or wok. Brown the beef in batches, adding a little more oil if needed. Transfer the beef to a bowl and keep warm.

Beef Broccoli

For the vegetables

  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated
  • 2-3 cups of broccoli florets (we used pre-cut packaged broccoli)

Directions

In the same skillet or work, saute the garlic and ginger for a few seconds before pouring in the cooking sauce. Stir in the corn starch paste to thicken. Return the beef strips to the skillet or wok and mix well until coated in the sauce. Lower the heat and toss in the broccoli. Cover for about five minutes to partially steam the broccoli until it is still fresh and crisp. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot with steamed white rice.

Beef Broccoli

Notes

  • Substitutions may include rice wine or sake for the sherry and Chinese broccoli for the regular broccoli.