Stir-Fried Garlic Stems with Beef

✅ Step 1: Ingredient List

Here are the main ingredients needed to make Stir-Fried Garlic Stems with Beef.

👨🍳 Step 2: Instructions

Making Stir-Fried Garlic Stems with Beef emphasizes marinating the beef and controlling the heat; it requires high-heat quick frying to maintain the texture of the ingredients.

1. ​🐄 Prepare & Marinate the Beef (Key Step)​:
   • Cut the beef ​against the grain​ into thin slices or fine shreds (approx. 0.3 cm thick).
   • Rinse the beef with clean water to remove blood and drain thoroughly.
   • Place the beef in a bowl. Add ​light soy sauce​ (10g), ​cooking wine​ (10g), ​starch​ (10g), ​egg white​ (1, approx. 30g, optional), and ​pepper​ (1g). Mix well.
   • Stir vigorously ​in one direction​ until the beef absorbs the moisture and becomes sticky. Finally, add ​cooking oil​ (10g) to seal and prevent sticking.
   • Marinate for ​15-20 minutes​ (refrigerating during marination yields better results).
2. ​🌱 Prepare Garlic Stems:
   • Remove the old stems at the top and the root ends at the bottom of the garlic stems. Wash and cut into sections about 3 cm long (cutting diagonally increases the cross-sectional area and shortens cooking time).
   • ​Blanching (optional, but maintains green color)​: Bring water to a boil in a pot, add a little oil and salt. Add the garlic stems and blanch for ​40 seconds, then quickly remove and plunge into cold water. This maintains the emerald green color and crisp texture of the garlic stems and removes slight bitterness.
3. ​🔥 Velvet Stir-fry the Beef:
   • Heat the wok, then add cooking oil (approx. 20ml). Heat until ​50% hot​ (approx. 150°C).
   • Add the marinated beef and quickly stir-fry to separate the pieces until they change color (about ​80% cooked). Remove and set aside. ​Keep the entire process under 90 seconds​ to prevent the beef from becoming tough.
4. ​🍳 Stir-fry Aromatics & Garlic Stems:
   • Leave some base oil in the wok. Add shredded ginger, sliced garlic, and bird’s eye chilies (if using). Sauté until fragrant.
   • Add the blanched garlic stems. Quickly stir-fry over high heat for about ​30 seconds​ until they begin to soften (cooked but still crisp).
5. ​🧂 Combine & Final Seasoning:
   • Return the cooked beef to the wok with the garlic stems. Quickly stir-fry evenly.
   • Pour in the pre-mixed ​seasoning sauce​ (light soy sauce 10g, oyster sauce 5g, white sugar 3g, slurry – water + starch – as needed, 2 tablespoons of water).
   • Quickly stir-fry evenly so the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients. Keep the entire process under ​1 minute​ to lock in the moisture.
6. ​✨ Plate and Serve:
   • Stir everything evenly and then serve immediately.

🌟 Step 3: Seasoning Ratio & Nutrition Info

Precise seasoning ratios are key to the flavor of Stir-Fried Garlic Stems with Beef.

💡 Chef’s Tips (TIPS)

• ​Choosing Ingredients is Key: Choose ​beef tenderloin​ (beef fillet) for more tender meat. Choose garlic stems that are ​light green in the stem part and fresh without blooming​ for better texture.
• ​Slice Against the Grain: ​Cutting shreds or slices against the beef’s grain​ is the crucial first step to ensuring tenderness.
• ​Marinate Thoroughly: After marinating the beef with ​starch, ​egg white​ (or a pinch of baking soda) and seasonings, add a layer of ​cooking oil​ at the end to seal in the moisture, making the beef more tender and preventing sticking during cooking.
• ​Blanch Garlic Stems: ​Blanching garlic stems with a little salt and oil​ can maintain their emerald green color and crisp texture, and remove slight bitterness.
• ​High Heat, Quick Action: Use ​high heat for quick stir-frying​ for both the beef and garlic stems. Especially for the beef, remove it as soon as it changes color to avoid overcooking.
• ​Prepare Sauce in Advance: Pre-mixing the seasoning sauce can avoid hurriedness during stir-frying, which can lead to overcooked ingredients.