Cantonese Recipe

Beef with Chinese Broccoli

Beef with Chinese broccoli pairs sliced beef with gai lan in a savory oyster-sauce-based stir-fry.

Recipe at a glance

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

Ingredients

  • 12 oz sliced beef
  • 1 lb gai lan, trimmed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster or mushroom sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, optional
  • 1/2 cup stock or water
  • Cornstarch slurry
  • Neutral oil
  • White pepper

Method

  1. Blanch or steam gai lan until crisp-tender.
  2. Marinate beef lightly with soy sauce and cornstarch.
  3. Stir-fry beef quickly.
  4. Add garlic and gai lan.
  5. Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, stock, and white pepper.
  6. Thicken lightly.
  7. Serve with rice.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Chinese broccoli is gai lan, not Western broccoli.
  • This is different from generic beef with broccoli.
  • Oyster sauce is common and should be checked for shellfish concerns.

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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