100 minutes
A delicious stir-fry dish featuring tender beef marinated with Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, seared to perfection and coated in a sweet and savory ginger sauce.
Beef Flank Steak
0 lb
teaspoons
Shaoxing Wine
teaspoons
teaspoons
tablespoons
tablespoons
teaspoons
Light brown sugar
cups
Hot Water
cups
cups
teaspoons
cups
cups
Fresh Ginger, minced
teaspoons
Dried Red Chilies
each
Garlic Clove, finely chopped
each
Scallions, white and green parts separated and cut into 2-inch pieces
each
tablespoons
tablespoons
1. Marinate the Beef
In a bowl, combine the beef slices with neutral oil, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda. Mix everything well so each piece of beef is coated evenly. Let this sit for an hour.
2. Prepare the Sauce
In a small bowl, dissolve the light brown sugar in the hot water. Once dissolved, stir in the light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Set this sauce mixture aside.
3. Coat and Sear the Beef
Dredge each piece of beef in cornstarch, ensuring it's well-coated. Heat ⅔ cup of neutral oil in a wok over medium-high heat. When the oil is just about to smoke, add the beef slices in a single layer, cooking them in batches if necessary. Sear each side for about one minute until they develop a crusty coating. Remove the beef and let it drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Stir-Fry Aromatics
Carefully drain the oil from the wok and wipe it clean with a paper towel. With a small amount of the reserved oil left in the wok, add the minced ginger and dried red chilies (if using). Stir-fry them for about 15 seconds until fragrant. Then, add the chopped garlic and the white parts of the scallions, continuing to stir-fry for another 15 seconds.
5. Thicken the Sauce
Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and bring it to a simmer. Meanwhile, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Once the sauce begins to simmer, stir in the slurry to thicken it, letting it cook for about 2 minutes.
6. Combine and Serve
Return the seared beef to the wok, tossing it in the thickened sauce to ensure each piece is well-coated. Add the green parts of the scallions, giving everything a final toss for about 30 seconds. Serve hot.
For a vegetarian option, use firm tofu as your protein and pair it with broccoli. Add a bit of peanut butter to the sauce for depth and richness.
Replace the beef with other proteins such as chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu, or tempeh. The key is to adjust cooking times accordingly since different proteins have different cooking requirements.
Replace the beef with shrimp, which cooks quickly, and pair with asparagus. Use a lighter sauce to complement the shrimp, such as a simple mix of soy sauce and lemon zest.
Swap the beef for chicken and add sesame oil and honey to the sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
While the core flavors here are ginger and a balance of sweet and savory, you can experiment with additional ingredients such as lemongrass for a Thai twist, gochujang for a Korean flavor, or hoisin sauce for a richer, more aromatic experience.
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