This dish was introduced to the West by Chinese immigrants in the 1920s. As the years passed, the recipe gained global popularity, renowned for its combination of tender beef and nutritious broccoli. The original recipe required Chinese broccoli, known as Gai Lan, which was unavailable in the West at that time and had to be replaced with Western broccoli. In our rendition of this classic recipe, we use broccolini, a cross between Western and Chinese broccoli, and high-quality Portuguese beef, called Bife da Vazia.
Ingredients for 4-5 servings:
For the beef:
- 500 gr Bife da Vazia (beef sirloin)
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (you can substitute it by dry sherry)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
For the sauce:
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For stir-frying:
- 500 gr broccolini (or regular broccoli)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 5 very thin slices of ginger
- 4-5 tablespoons cooking oil with a high smoke point (e.g. rice oil, light olive oil or sunflower oil)
- 2 green onions
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
