How to Make Stir-Fried Beef and Gai Lan

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is lower in fat, while pork is often less expensive.

oyster sauce

🥗Healthier: mushroom sauce

💰Cheaper: soy sauce

Mushroom sauce offers umami flavor without seafood.

cornstarch

🥗Healthier: arrowroot powder

💰Cheaper: flour

Arrowroot is a gluten-free thickener.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil provides healthy fats, while canola is budget-friendly.

Cut 8 ounces of center cut filet mignon into quarters and freeze for 20-25 minutes to firm up.

Cut gai lan leaves into 1.5 inch wide pieces and stalks into quarter inch thick pieces on a bias.

Slice the firm beef into quarter inch thick slices after freezing.

Marinate the beef with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine until well coated.

Prep the cooking oil by mixing 4 teaspoons vegetable oil with 1.5 teaspoons grated ginger and 0.25 teaspoon minced garlic.

Prepare the sauce by whisking together 0.5 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 4 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, and 0.5 teaspoon sesame oil.

Heat a 14-inch flat bottom carbon steel wok over high heat until smoking.

Add 1 teaspoon of oil and the gai lan stalks to the wok, stir-frying for 3-4 minutes until tender and spotty brown.

Remove the stalks from the wok and add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 0.5 teaspoon minced garlic to the wok, cooking for 15 seconds until fragrant.

Add gai lan leaves to the wok and stir-fry for 45 seconds until dark jade green.

Add a quarter cup of chicken broth to the gai lan leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the leaves are wilted.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens