What is Chinese stir fry sauce made of?

The key to the perfect Chinese stir fry sauce is achieving the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and umami flavors. It's got richness from oyster sauce, depth from soy sauce and cooking wine, sweetness from sugar, and nuttiness from sesame oil . A simple cornstarch slurry thickens it perfectly.

How do you make stir fry taste like a restaurant?

Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices . These ingredients are typically added to the oil first to infuse it with flavor. You won't need much; a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of total aromatic ingredients per person adds a serious amount of flavor.

What sauce gives Chinese food its flavor?

Soy sauce (jiàng yóu, 酱油), the most common of Chinese sauces, sounds simple, and for the most part, it is. However, there are many types, each unique to different Asian cuisines (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc.).

How do Chinese restaurants get broccoli so crispy?

The Chinese broccoli needs to cook as fast as possible, so that the nutrients and color don't have as much opportunity to leach out into the water. It's best to start with as much boiling water as you can. Restaurants serve amazingly green and crunchy Chinese broccoli because they use huge amounts of boiling water .

Do I need to boil broccoli before stir-fry?

Broccoli does NOT requiring boiling before sautéing or stir-frying IF you implement the steaming method . Trapping hot air in the pan is what helps soften the broccoli so it doesn't just appear cooked on the outside.

Should you pre cook broccoli before stir-fry?

Do you have to boil broccoli before stir-frying? Whilst you don't have to, I prefer to . A quick boil in hot water, or a steam, will softened up the stem a little, making it tender before adding to the hot wok. This way the stem will be a little more tender, but the broccoli will retain some crunch.

What does stir fry sauce contain?

ingredients. Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Sugar, Water, Vinegar, Modified Corn Starch, Wine, Garlic Powder, Dehydrated Oyster Extract (Molluscan Shellfish), Spices, Sodium Benzoate: Less than 1/10 of 1% as a Preservative, Salt, Succinic Acid, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate.

What's the difference between stir fry sauce and soy sauce?

Soy sauce is an ingredient or table condiment. Stir fry sauce is a convenience product with several ingredients so the home cook doesn't have to season the food themselves . For example, you can season ground beef with several ingredients, OR add an envelope of taco seasoning or chile seasoning.

Is hoisin sauce the same as stir fry sauce?

No, not the same flavor . Hoisin is a Chinese condiment -a fermented black soybean sauce, salty, thick and often with chunks of beans in it. Hoisin is used for beef or pork meat and on egg noodles instead of soy sauce.

What is traditional Chinese sauce?

Soy sauce Oyster sauce Shacha sauce in a bowl with coriander to be used in a hot pot. These sauces are commonly used as ingredients for dishes in many Chinese cuisines. There may also be regional variations on the sauces, such as seasoned soy sauce or fermented bean curd.

Chinese Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe

Published: Sep 22, 2014 · Modified: Mar 30, 2021 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 341 Comments

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This Chinese Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe from The Skinnytaste Cookbook is just what every family needs...healthy, delicious and easy.

I'm not sure how to start this post - whether I should tell you about the recipe, the cookbook or the cookbook author. This is a good problem to have because they are each worthy of their own post.

This awesome, healthy stir-fry recipe is one that my family is demanding to see in our regular dinner rotation. It is straight out of The Skinnytaste Cookbook, written by my friend, Gina hom*olka, who is the recipe developer, photographer and writer behind the wildly popular food blog, Skinnytaste.

I've read Gina's blog for years and made many of her recipes, which are true to the tagline of her book...light on calories, big on flavor. Each one of Gina's recipes is accompanied by nutritional data and serving sizes. Quite honestly, you stop thinking about the calories because the flavors are so satisfying. She knows how to do "healthy" the right way, without sacrificing flavor.

Admiration for Gina's blog and recipes turned to respect and fondness for her as a person when we roomed together at a blogging retreat last year. She is just as she seems...kind, talented, thoughtful, humble and smart as a whip. This all comes through in her no-nonsense recommendations and recipes in her cookbook. From thoughts on creating a "good-for-you kitchen and lifestyle" to recipes that range from quick breakfast ideas to dishes worthy of entertaining, The Skinnytaste Cookbook has it all...not to mention beautiful photography by the talented Penny de Los Santos.

It would make a fantastic holiday gift for family and friends who are trying to eat well and love their food with plenty of flavor.

So, let's get down to business with this recipe (scroll to the bottom for the recipe). The flavors are perfectly balanced without being complicated and there is a great balance between protein, veggies and carbs, particularly when the stir-fry is served on a bed of brown rice.

If you have never cooked with oyster sauce before, there's no need to worry. Your stir-fry will NOT taste like oysters. Rather, the sauce adds another layer of flavor that is common in Chinese cooking. You can find the sauce in the international aisle of most supermarkets.

I have one very important tip for this recipe. In fact, it applies to any stir-fry you make.

Printable Recipe

Chinese Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe {Skinnytaste Cookbook}

This Chinese Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe is just what every family needs...healthy, delicious and easy.

4.60 from 15 votes

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Course: Entrees

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Beef and Lamb Recipes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine
4 teaspoons sesame oil
1 pound sirloin steak trimmed of fat, thinly sliced against the grain
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups broccoli florets
4 medium scallions cut into 1-inch pieces; white & greens separated
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Instructions

In a shallow glass container, whisk together the cornstarch 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce, rice wine and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.
Sprinkle the salt over the steak. Add the steak to the marinade, turn to coat, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the broccoli from cooking further.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and half of the steak. Cook 30 seconds on each side, without stirring as it’s cooking. Transfer to a plate and repeat with another 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and the rest of the steak.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil and add the white parts of the scallions, garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds.
Add the broccoli, brown sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Add the beef and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens.
Serve over brown rice.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 7 (SmartPoints), 7 (Points+), 6 (Old Points)
From The Skinnytaste Cookbook by Gina Holomka (re-printed with permission)

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Chinese Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe | Cookin' Canuck (2024)