🥬🥩 Stir-fried Chinese Choy Sum with Beef - A classic Hong Kong-style, refreshing, iron-rich dish

Editor's Preface

Stir-fried beef with choy sum is a perennial favorite in Hong Kong, a staple at every hawker stall and even at home! The smooth, tender beef paired with the sweet choy sum delivers a burst of protein and fiber, perfect with rice. Many people worry about the beef being too slippery or the choy sum being too watery, but mastering the heat and marinade makes for a surprisingly easy and delicious dish. This time, we've meticulously broken down the details, ensuring even beginners can cook to restaurant-quality perfection.

Ingredients preparation

• 200g fresh beef (sirloin, fillet or shoulder), sliced

• 1 bunch of choy sum (about 300g), remove the old stems and cut into sections

• 2 cloves of garlic (sliced)

• 2 slices of ginger

• 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 0.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce (for coloring)

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• Pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 2–3 tablespoons cooking oil (for marinating beef and cooking)

• 0.5 tablespoon sesame oil

• 2–3 tablespoons chicken broth or water

Detailed steps

🥩 1. Marinated Beef Slide

• Slice the beef thinly and against the grain for better tenderness.

• Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, pepper, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch and a few drops of sesame oil. Finally, mix in half a tablespoon of oil. Rub and massage for 5 minutes and marinate for 15-30 minutes to let the flavors soak in (the oil can lock in moisture and prevent it from getting into your shoes).

• Editor's Tip: Corn starch and sesame oil make the beef protein smoother.

🥬 2. How to prepare choy sum to make it green

• Wash the choy sum, remove the hard stems and split them with the back of a knife (the stems are more flavorful and easier to cook).

• Bring water to a boil, add half a teaspoon of salt and a few drops of oil. Blanch the choy sum stems for 25 seconds, then add the leaves and cook for another 15 seconds. Remove from the heat and drain.

• Rinse with cold water immediately after boiling to keep the green and crisp feeling.

🧄 3. Stir-fry until fragrant

• Heat oil in a pan and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant.

• Add the beef and stir-fry until it is 70% cooked (just turning color). Remove from heat and set aside. This way you won’t overcook the beef.

• Add more oil to the wok, add the choy sum stems and stir-fry over high heat, then add the choy sum leaves and stir-fry (do it quickly throughout the process). If it is too dry, add chicken broth or water as appropriate.

🍳 4. Combined seasoning

• Return the beef to the wok and add dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar. Mix well (do not use more than 2 tablespoons of the total sauce, otherwise it will be too salty).

• After mixing well, sprinkle a small amount of water or broth, taste and adjust with salt/pepper if necessary.

• If you want more juice, you can add half a teaspoon of cornstarch water to thicken it and stir-fry until the juice is thick.

🥢 5. Serve with fragrance

• Once the whole thing is stir-fried, serve immediately on a plate. Drizzle with a little sesame oil for flavor and garnish with chopped green onions (for added color and spiciness).

Editor's Tips

• The beef should be sliced ​​against the grain, marinated first and then stir-fried quickly to make it slippery and tender.

• Do not blanch the choy sum for too long, otherwise it will lose color and turn yellow.

• Stir-fry over high heat to ensure that the food does not become too watery and does not turn yellow or become old.

• If you like the taste, you can add half an egg white to the beef marinade to make the meat more elastic.

• If you want to be healthier, you can use a version with less salt and no MSG, and add ginger and garlic to enhance the flavor.

Eating experience 😋

Every bite is filled with the fragrant and smooth beef and the sweet and green choy sum. The distinct textures are so layered that you'll want to add more to your rice. It's perfect for children and seniors, and a healthy choice for iron and fiber!

summary

Stir-fried beef with choy sum is one of Hong Kong's easiest and most surprising home-cooked dishes. Master the marinating and stir-frying techniques, and anyone can cook like a master chef. Make this tonight after work, and the whole family will be delighted! 🥬🥩🍚 If you're interested in other Hong Kong-style beef and vegetable stir-fries, feel free to ask us for detailed steps!