CantoneseMedium 25 min serves 3

Beef with Chinese Broccoli (芥兰炒牛肉)

Name: Beef with Chinese Broccoli (芥兰炒牛肉)
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: beef flank, sliced thin across the grain; gai lan (Chinese broccoli); oyster sauce; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; cornstarch; ginger, sliced into thin coins; garlic, sliced; baking soda, for tenderising (optional); cooking oil

芥兰炒牛肉 · jiè lán chǎo niú ròu

家庭快手版 · Home version: Home version blanches the gai lan first so the stem cooks evenly. Restaurant version stir-fries it raw over a roaring flame.

In Guangdong, gai lan with beef is a benchmark dish — it shows up on every cha chaan teng menu and the cook is judged on whether the stem is tender-crisp and the sauce has just enough ginger to cut the beef.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More beef recipes →Quick & Easy

Ingredients

beef flank, sliced thin across the grain牛腩边，逆纹薄片🛒 local300 g
gai lan (Chinese broccoli)芥兰🏮 asian400 g
oyster sauce蚝油🏮 asian1 tbsp
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian1 tbsp
Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian1 tbsp
cornstarch玉米淀粉🏮 asian1 tsp
ginger, sliced into thin coins姜片🛒 local6 slices
garlic, sliced蒜片🛒 local2 cloves
baking soda, for tenderising (optional)小苏打（可选）🛒 local1/4 tsp
cooking oil食用油🛒 local2 tbsp

gai lan (Chinese broccoli): Stems should snap cleanly and be deep green.

baking soda, for tenderising (optional): Use only if the beef is a tough cut.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Saltiness

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Instructions

1Marinate the beef with soy sauce, wine, cornstarch and optional baking soda. Rest 15 minutes.
腌制牛肉
🔍 Look for
Visual: 肉片湿润微亮Slices look wet and slightly glossy
You know it's right when: 看不到干粉块No dry patches of starch remain
2Trim the gai lan: peel fibrous stem skin, cut stems on a steep diagonal, keep leaves whole.
处理芥兰
3Blanch stems in boiling salted water 45 seconds, add leaves for 15 seconds, then drain and shock in cold water.
焯芥兰
🔍 Look for High heat 60 seconds total
Visual: 梗由暗绿转成亮翠绿Stems go from dull to vivid jade green
You know it's right when: 梗能弯但不会脆断A stem bends without snapping in half
4Heat the wok over high heat, add oil, sear the beef 1 minute, then remove.
滑炒牛肉
🔍 Look for High heat 1 minute
Visual: 边缘焦褐，中心还粉Edges brown while the centre is still pink
You know it's right when: 按压肉质紧实但不回弹Beef feels firm but not springy when pressed
5Fry ginger and garlic 20 seconds, add gai lan and toss 1 minute with a splash of the blanching water.
炒芥兰
🔍 Look for High heat 1 minute
Visual: 叶片塌软，梗面油亮Leaves wilt and stems turn glossy
You know it's right when: 锅里持续滋响，不闷水汽Vegetables hiss steadily, not steam-logged
6Return the beef, add oyster sauce and a splash of water, and toss 40 seconds until the sauce coats everything.
回锅收汁
🔍 Look for High heat 40 seconds
Visual: 酱汁呈薄亮膜状Sauce becomes a thin glossy film
You know it's right when: 锅底没有积汁No puddle at the bottom of the wok
7Plate immediately, stems first and leaves on top, so the greens keep their crunch.
装盘

Tips

· Peel the stem skin — it is stringy and never softens.
· Salt the blanching water; it seasons the greens from the inside.
· Shocking in cold water is what keeps gai lan bright green.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library