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This classic Chinese beef and broccoli recipe is quick and easy to make homemade, and tastes even better thanthe restaurant version!
There’s so much broccoli in my life lately!
First off, my fridge has been overflowing with multiple kinds of broccoli from my CSA, grown by my lovely Burmese friend Si Si who works with this cool organization. I must say, her organic broccoli is some of tastiest I’ve ever tried, and I’ve been choppin’,sautein’, roastin’, and slawin’ it like crazy lately. So good.
But then, I’ve also got to tell you the cutest thing. When Si Sifirst heard that I was dating Barclay last summer, she wassooooexcited about it and couldn’t wait to meet him. But English is her second language, and his name(pronouncedbar-klee) was a tricky one to remember. So I told her to just think ofbroccoli, and I still remember howher eyes lit up and she broke into the biggest smile. “I love broccoli!!” she exclaimed.
And the nickname was born. :)
Now, whenever I go to see her or we chat on the phone, she always makes sure to tell me again and again to be sure to “say hi to Broccoli”for her. Or she’ll invite me and Broccoli over for some Burmese noodles. Or — one of my favorite little moments — when Barclay came to visit the CSA-kickoff party a few weeks ago at her garden, she got a big kick out of him purchasing some of her broccoli to take home. Some broccoli for Broccoli. Made me so happy.
Anyway, all that said, this week I randomly was craving some retro beef and broccoli. I used to always love ordering this stuff at Chinese restaurants back in the day, and love how easy it is to make at home. So I whipped up a quick batch and snapped some photos justin case you might ever have a nostalgic craving for this stuff too.
Here’s a cute pic I snapped of Barclay out in Si Si’s garden before we made our wayto her actual broccoli. These two.♥
Alright, back to this recipe. I’ve gotta say — I’ve had some good beef and broccoli in my day, but probably morenot-so-good beef and broccoli in my day.
Oof. Has anyone else had the same experience?? I feel like this dishstarts withso much potential, based around two of my favorite ingredients. (Here’s lookin’ at you fresh broccoli, and — my forever guilty pleasure — tender steak.) But after that, it seems like so many restaurants just phone in the sauce, making what could be anawesome dish instead totally bland and soggy and “meh”.
Not acceptable.
My homemade version, on the other hand, is everything I alwayshope that broccoli and beef will be when I see if on a menu. It’s made with tender-crisp broccoli (and lots of it), marinated and perfectly-cooked flank steak, andlotsof sauce that’s actually bursting with savory flavors. So good!
And even better? It can be on the table easily in 30 minutes. (Or if you’re a super-efficient multi-tasker, closer to 20!)
optional garnishes:toasted sesame seeds and/or thinly-sliced green onions
Sauce Ingredients:
3/4cup water
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
optional:1-3 teaspoons sriracha, to taste
Instructions
To Make The Beef and Broccoli:
Add the steak to a large bowl, along with the soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Stir to combine, then let the steak marinate for at least 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour).
Meanwhile, fill a large stockpot halfway full of water, and bring it to a boil. Stir the broccoli florets into the water, and cook for 30-45 seconds. Drain (or transfer the broccoli to a strainer), and set aside.
Prepare the sauce (see instructions below).
Once the steak hasfinished marinating, add the peanut oil to a large saute pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the steak and garlic, and saute — stirring occasionally — until the steak is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Add the sauce and broccoli, and toss to combine. Continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes, or until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens.
Remove from heat and serve immediately, topped with optional garnishes if desired.
The easiest way to cook broccoli is to blanch it. Blanching is a process in which the broccoli is submerged in boiling water for only a few minutes, then transferred into an ice bath to keep it from overcooking and turning mushy. The broccoli florets will turn a vibrant shade of green and maintain a much-needed crunch.
Sauces and oils: This beef and broccoli recipe calls for oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Sherry: Cooking sherry adds a sweet, nutty flavor to the beef and broccoli. Sugar: White sugar lends a hint of sweetness. Cornstarch: A teaspoon of cornstarch thickens the sauce.
Though there are infinite ways to prepare fresh broccoli, the most basic (and best) methods are to blanch, steam in the microwave, steam on the stovetop, sauté, and roast broccoli.
In conclusion, the current study clearly shows that nutrient and health-promoting compounds in broccoli are significantly affected by domestic cooking. All cooking treatments, except steaming, caused great losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C. Only boiling and stir-frying/boiling caused the loss of total carotenoids.
My favorite way to prepare broccoli is by sautéing it in a large skillet with a little olive oil, red pepper flakes, and salt. This gives it a little bit of roasted flavor while locking in that bright green color. Sometimes I like to give my broccoli a distinctively Asian flavor by swapping in sesame oil for olive oil.
It all starts with tenderizing the meat with baking soda and water that is massaged into the thinly sliced meat. It is then left to marinate for about an hour or two before cooking.
Broth: Many versions of this dish use beef broth, but you can also find it made with chicken or vegetable broth.Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is one of the main ingredients that you'll find in nearly every version of Chinese brown sauce.
Don't worry, the ingredients for this dish are pretty basic, which make this the perfect easy weeknight meal! Flank steak– Flank Steak is perfect for beef and broccoli because it is lean and tender. Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into thin strips going agains the grain.
You can velvet meat and make it melt-in-your-mouth tender by quickly tossing chunks of beef or chicken in about ¾ tsp of baking soda for about 15 minutes before your next stir fry, then rinse and pat the meat dry before putting in the pan.
Rinse off the cornstarch from the meat with cold water (hot water can cook the meat). Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and it's now ready for cooking. Alternatively, you can simply shake off excess marinade and cook it without rinsing (which will give the meat a nice brown crust).
Less than a teaspoon of baking soda ensures that your steak remains juicy and tender—even after a speedy marinade. While other recipes demand hours of marinating, this baking soda hack makes a flank steak or any other fibrous cut of beef ready to sear after just an hour.
Make sure it's not too crowded on the sheet pan. There should be room for the broccoli to be spread out in a single layer. Small florets get crispier than large ones. In addition, make sure your oven is preheated to at least 425°F.
Lightly sauteed with garlic and a splash of water. It's that simple. Cooking broccoli in this way retains most of its colour, nutritional value along with that crunch that results in a delicious side dish that even my youngest and pickiest eater enjoys.
Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Dogs can eat the vegetable both cooked and raw, as long as there are no seasonings or oils added. However, this vegetable should always be given in very small quantities, especially because the florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation in dogs.
Microwaving: Microwaving is a very quick and convenient way to cook broccoli. It can actually help retain more vitamin C compared to other methods like boiling. Regardless of the method you choose, don't overcook the broccoli. Overcooked broccoli will be mushy and lose more nutrients.
Steamed broccoli may be one of the healthiest ways to cook broccoli because it's quick and nutrients and vitamins won't be lost in the cooking water, as can be the case with boiled broccoli.
Steaming. Steaming is one of the best cooking methods for preserving nutrients, including water-soluble vitamins, which are sensitive to heat and water ( 4 , 5, 6, 17 ). Researchers have found that steaming broccoli, spinach, and lettuce reduces their vitamin C content by only 9–15% (5).
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