Description
This Chinese Beef and Onion Stir Fry is a quick and flavorful dish featuring tender strips of sirloin steak stir-fried with aromatic ginger, garlic, and onions, coated in a savory sauce made from soy, oyster, and hoisin sauces with a hint of sweetness and tang from rice vinegar. Perfect for a speedy weeknight dinner, it comes together in just 20 minutes and pairs wonderfully with steamed rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 300 g sirloin steak (or rib-eye, flank steak, or blade steak), thinly sliced against the grain
- ½ white onion (or yellow onion), thinly sliced
- 4-5 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or sliced thinly
- 1 stalk green onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Other
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for stir-frying)
- 1 tablespoon water (for dissolving cornstarch)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Slice the beef into thin strips against the grain and set aside to ensure tenderness and quick cooking.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set the sauce mixture aside.
- Cook Aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger slices and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds to release its aroma.
- Cook the Beef: Add the sliced beef strips to the skillet and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes until the beef is browned on the outside and cooked through.
- Sauté Onions: Push the beef to one side of the skillet and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the sliced onions and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften.
- Combine and Cook: Add the green onion pieces to the skillet and cook for another minute. Pour the pre-mixed sauce over the beef and onions, stirring well to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Optional Thickening: If a thicker sauce is preferred, dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water, then stir into the sauce. Let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables nicely.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the stir fry hot, ideally over steamed rice or noodles to enjoy the full flavors of the dish.
Notes
- Slicing the beef against the grain ensures the meat remains tender after stir-frying.
- You can substitute sirloin with rib-eye, flank steak, or blade steak depending on availability and preference.
- Adjust the amount of sugar in the sauce to taste depending on your preferred sweetness level.
- The cornstarch thickening step is optional but helps create a glossy sauce that adheres well to the beef and onions.
- For added heat, consider adding a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes when cooking the aromatics.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor; leftovers can be reheated but might lose some crispness in the vegetables.
