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Shanghai Stir-Fried Beef & Broccoli

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Serves four.


1 small flank steak (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb.)
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. dry sherry
1 Tbs. cornstarch
Kosher salt
3/4 lb. broccoli crowns, cut into 2-inch florets (to yield about 4 heaping cups)
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
2 Tbs. oyster sauce

Bring 2 quarts water with 2 tsp. kosher salt to a boil.

Slice the steak in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into thin slices. In a medium bowl, stir 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce with the sherry, cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the steak, toss to coat, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli in the boiling water until it softens to a tender crunch, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and then rinse under cold water until the broccoli cools.

Set a large, heavy skillet or a large wok over high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil and, when it starts to shimmer, add the beef. Cook the beef, stirring frequently, until it loses most but not all of its raw color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil and the garlic, ginger, chile flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and 3 Tbs. water and cook, stirring to incorporate any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, until the broccoli warms through, about 1 minute. Stir in the beef, the oyster sauce, and the remaining 2 Tbs. soy sauce; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 63, pp. 86c
February 1, 2004


user reviews

Star Star Star Star Star Much better than from a restaurant, I can not believe it! Add some red chili flakes and substitute the oil for red chili oil if you want something a little (ok, a lot) spicier. Yum!
Star Star Star Star Star quite good. I used some raw red pepper strips and sugar snaps in addition to the blanched broccoli.
Star Star Star Star Star Overall, delicious recipe! Next time, I would decrease the soy sauce by 1/2 Tbsp. or so because it was a tad too salty. I would also double the recipe because we barely had enough for the 2 of us, and I'd love to have leftovers of this yummy dish.
Star Star Star Star Star Loved this dish! Blanching the broccoli crowns was a nice touch. They were cooked perfectly. While I was making the other dish to go with this, the sauce started to turn into velvet, probably due to the cornstarch in the marinade. I omitted the chile flakes because I paired it with Singapore Noodles (Nathan Fong) since that dish packs a pretty good punch.
Star Star Star Star Star Great meal and easy to make