American Chinese / Cantonese Recipe

Beef with Bean Curd

Beef with bean curd pairs sliced beef with tofu in a savory brown sauce.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeHigh-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish
Cuisine or formatAmerican Chinese / Cantonese
Menu variation ruleProtein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz sliced beef
  • 14 oz firm tofu, cut into pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster or mushroom sauce
  • 1/2 cup stock or water
  • Cornstarch slurry
  • Scallions
  • Neutral oil

Method

  1. Pan-sear tofu lightly and set aside.
  2. Marinate beef with soy sauce and cornstarch.
  3. Stir-fry beef quickly.
  4. Fry garlic and ginger.
  5. Add stock and sauces.
  6. Return tofu and beef.
  7. Thicken lightly and finish with scallions.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Bean curd means tofu.
  • This is different from mapo tofu because the sauce is usually mild and brown.
  • Contains beef and soy; oyster sauce is common.

Variations and substitutions

  • For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.

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