Why get take out when you can quickly dish up a quintessential Chinese takeout dish in minutes? This one-pan, 30-minutes dish is loaded with tender broccoli and nutrition-packed beef cooked in a delicious sauce. Serve over rice for a delicious meal!

Broccoli Beef originates from a Chinese dish called Gai Lan Chao Niu Rounor or Chinese Broccoli Fried Beef. However, early immigrants could not find Gai Lan in the US, and American broccoli became an easy substitute, right around when broccoli was getting more popular in the US too. Given the ability of the broccoli to absorb delicious flavors of the sauce and the tender slices of beef, it’s no wonder it makes its way onto every Chinese restaurant menu.

Servings: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 teaspoon baking soda or tenderize the meat by hammering it with a meat mallet)
• 1  pound flank steak, cut into 1-inch pieces. (Find the grains of the beef and cut against it. After cutting rinse off the blood and set aside)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cups small broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks (optional)

Method

• In a large bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch with water to form a slurry. Add beef to the bowl and toss until the beef is well coated with the cornstarch mix.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch along with soya sauce, oyster sauce, pepper and brown sugar. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan or wok on medium flame. When hot, add the beef and fry the beef on one side for 30-60 seconds. Flip and fry the beef until it is cooked through another 60 seconds. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
• Add remaining oil to the pan and when hot, add the diced onions, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute and then add the broccoli florets and carrots. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes.
• Add the beef back to the pan and pour the sauce over. Stir for another minute until the sauce thickens.
• Turn off the stove and serve with a side of rice or noodles.