Ingredients
Velveting the Beef (Tenderising)
- 7 oz / 200 g beef rump steak or flank, or any other quick cooking steak cut
- 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carbonate soda
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, light or all-purpose (NOT dark soy)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (brown, not untoasted yellow)
- Pinch white pepper (substitute with black pepper if needed)
Sauce Thickener
- 3 tsp cornstarch / corn flour
- 1/2 cup water, separated
Stir Fry
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 small onion (yellow, brown or white), sliced
- 1/2 red capsicum / bell pepper, sliced into 7mm / 1/3" thick slices
- 1 small carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 2 bok choy, leaves separated from stems, stems cut lengthways to uniform thickness
- 2 green onions, cut into 1.5" / 3cm pieces, white ends separated from green parts
To Serve
- Steamed white rice
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Velvet Beef (Tenderise): Place the beef in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with baking soda. Toss with your fingers to coat all pieces. Let sit for 20 minutes. Then rinse the beef thoroughly under running water in a colander to remove the baking soda. Shake off excess water and pat dry lightly with paper towels. Return the beef to a bowl.
- Prepare Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine or Mirin, white sugar, toasted sesame oil, and a pinch of white pepper. Mix well. Take 1 1/2 tablespoons of this sauce and toss it with the beef until evenly coated. To the remaining sauce, whisk in cornstarch until smooth, then gradually mix in the 1/2 cup water.
- Cook Aromatics: Heat peanut oil in a large non-stick pan or wok over high heat. Add sliced onion and minced garlic. Stir fry quickly for about 10 seconds until aromatic but not browned.
- Cook Beef: Add the beef to the pan and stir fry. Cook until the beef changes color from red to light brown but is not fully cooked through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Vegetables #1: Add sliced red capsicum, carrot slices, bok choy stems, and white parts of the green onions. Stir fry together for 1 minute, allowing vegetables to soften slightly.
- Add Sauce: Pour in the prepared sauce mixture. Stir continuously until the sauce bubbles and thickens, coating beef and vegetables nicely.
- Add Leafy Vegetables: Incorporate the bok choy leaves and green parts of the green onions. Toss for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the leaves just wilt and the sauce is glossy and clingy.
- Serve: Immediately serve the stir fry over steamed white rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute the homemade stir fry sauce with RecipeTin Eats' All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce for convenience.
- Velveting beef with baking soda tenderizes it, ensuring soft, succulent texture akin to Chinese restaurant stir fries.
- Make sure to rinse off baking soda well to avoid any off taste.
- Use light or all-purpose soy sauce, not dark soy sauce, to keep the flavor balanced.
- Chinese cooking wine adds authentic flavor; if unavailable, Mirin is a suitable substitute.
- This recipe is highly versatile—feel free to substitute or add any leftover vegetables in your fridge.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the oyster sauce and soy sauce are gluten-free certified.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
