Hoisin Beef, Broccoli and Water Chestnut Stir-Fry – sweet & salty from the hoisin sauce, the crunch of the water chestnuts & the aromatics of pepper, garlic & ginger makes this a favorite of mine. And for those balancing many roles at this crazy time, this will get you in and out of the kitchen quickly, ready to feed the hungry throng. Or even if it’s just dinner for one. I don’t mind stir-fry leftovers.
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As with all stir-fries, this takes just mere minutes to cook so it’s important to have all the ingredients prepped and ready before you fire up the wok. I also put the rice on to cook just before I start to prep the ingredients. Check out how to make perfectly cooked rice on a recent post here.
You can throw almost any veg or protein into a stir-fry but show restraint. The more you have in the wok, the less food is going to be touching the bottom and side and the food will stew instead of sear. So brown the meat in batches if you’re using more than 3/4 of a pound and stick to two or three veg. Green onion is always best added at the end so it doesn’t go slimy.
I’ve cooked the broccoli in the microwave instead of in the wok, only adding it to the wok at the end. Broccoli is the only veg in a stir-fry I will do this with. You don’t have to do this but I think broccoli is much nicer this way as it cooks more evenly ensuring you don’t end up with raw stems and overcooked tops as can happen in a stir-fry. If this doesn’t bother you then cook it in the wok. Or better still, use broccolini if you can find it. A rarity where I live in Indiana.
I know many of you view the kitchen as a somewhat hateful place, a space where you need to get in and out of fast. Maybe for one of two reasons, or both: you don’t like to cook but there are mouths to feed, including your own or you’re light on time. Stir-fries are relatively quick to make, often with bits and pieces lurking in the fridge and are a good way to get more veg in your diet. I do enjoy plonking down on the couch, bowl in one hand, chopsticks in the other, glass of wine close at hand and tucking into a steaming bowl of fragrant rice and a good stir-fry. And if you love a good stir-fry, check out these other recipes:
- Chicken, Snow Pea and Cashew Stir-Fry
- Thai Basil Mussel and Shrimp Stir-Fry
- Ginger Honey Anise Pork Stir-Fry
Chat to you soon, toodles, Lovoni xo
HOISIN BEEF, BROCCOLI AND WATER CHESTNUT STIR-FRY
Equipment
- wok or large, deep skillet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- 12 oz broccoli
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided or oil of your choice
- 1 1/2 lbs rib-eye or New York strip (sirloin) steak, cut into thin strips against the grain
- 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 bell pepper (capsicum), thinly sliced
- 9 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 8 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
- 1/3 cup toasted whole almonds
- Steamed jasmine rice, to serve, optional
- Sriracha sauce, to serve, optional
Instructions
- In a 1-cup measuring jug or small bowl, combine broth, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, freshly ground pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch; set aside.
- Trim the broccoli and cut into florets. Arrange the broccoli in a glass pie dish or another microwave safe dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish. Cover with plastic wrap (you could also use paper towel if you don’t want to use plastic). Microwave on 100% power for 3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat. Add half the oil and half of the beef. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is browned. Remove from the wok to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef; remove the beef from the wok to the same plate.
- Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the bell pepper, water chestnuts, beef – along with juice that has accumulated on the plate, and the broccoli to the wok. Stir-fry to combine. Stir the broth mixture and add it to the stir-fry. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and everything is hot – about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the green onion and almonds; stir-fry to combine. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and sriracha sauce, if desired. Serves 4 to 6.
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