Beef & Broccoli, the Real One (Xi Lan Hua Chao Niu Rou)

The story

Beef and broccoli is the undisputed heavyweight of American-Chinese takeout, and the home version is simpler than the queue at the restaurant: velvet the beef, blanch the broccoli, one glossy sauce. That is it.

Ingredients (6 + pantry staples)

• Flank steak, sliced thin — 12 oz / 350 g
• Broccoli florets — 1 lb / 450 g
• Soy sauce — 2.5 tbsp
• Oyster sauce — 1 tbsp
• Garlic — 3 cloves, minced
• Cornstarch — 1.5 tbsp, divided

Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): sugar (1 tsp), cooking oil. Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.

Steps

1. Toss beef with 1 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp cornstarch; rest 10 minutes.
2. Blanch broccoli 2 minutes in salted boiling water (or splash-fry with 2 tbsp water under a lid); drain.
3. Sear beef in hot oil 1–2 minutes; add garlic for 20 seconds.
4. Broccoli, remaining soy, oyster sauce, sugar and a cornstarch-water slurry; toss until glossy.

Swaps

Frozen broccoli works straight from the freezer (add 1 minute). Chicken or tofu swap 1:1.