This beef and broccoli stir-fry is surprisingly easy and incredibly flavorful. Thinly sliced beef, garlic, ginger, and a touch of chili flakes create a delicious dish ready in just 20 minutes.
I started by partially freezing the beef for about an hour and a half to make it easier to slice thinly. This technique also helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat.
Using a sharp knife, I created thin slices of beef, using my finger as a guide to ensure even thickness.
Thinly slicing beef for stir-fry
After slicing the beef, I seasoned it with salt and set it aside to marinate briefly.
Next, I prepared the aromatics. I finely grated garlic and ginger using a microplane grater. This helps distribute the flavor evenly throughout the dish.
Grating ginger and garlic for the marinade
To the grated garlic and ginger, I added cayenne pepper for a touch of heat. You could substitute other chili flakes like Thai chili or Chinese red chili flakes. Instead of soy sauce, I opted for Maggie seasoning, a flavorful, salty condiment that adds a rich umami flavor.
I mixed the marinade ingredients thoroughly and added a teaspoon of oil to help lubricate the beef and enhance flavor distribution during cooking.
Mixing the beef marinade
While the beef marinated, I prepared the broccoli by cutting it into bite-sized florets.
For the cooking process, I used a wok on an induction burner. I heated the wok with a generous amount of oil – this is key to a successful stir-fry. Once the oil was smoking hot, I added the marinated beef.
Cooking the beef in a hot wok
I let the beef sear on the bottom for a minute or two before flipping it over to ensure a nice crust. The thinly sliced beef cooks very quickly.
After the beef was cooked, I added the broccoli florets to the wok. I deglazed the pan with Maggie seasoning and a splash of water to create a flavorful sauce and steam the broccoli.
Steaming broccoli in the wok
I cooked the broccoli until it was tender-crisp, still retaining a bit of crunch.
Finally, I served the beef and broccoli over rice.
Finished beef and broccoli stir-fry served over rice
The result was a quick, easy, and delicious meal. The ginger and garlic flavors were prominent, complemented by the subtle heat from the cayenne pepper. The broccoli, infused with the flavors of the beef and marinade, added a satisfying textural element. This 20-minute stir-fry is a weeknight winner.
