Description
A quick and flavorful Chinese Beef and Onion Stir Fry recipe featuring tender marinated sirloin steak, aromatic ginger and garlic, and a savory sauce made with soy, oyster, and hoisin sauces. This dish is perfect for a fast and delicious weeknight meal served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
Beef Marinade
- 300 g sirloin steak (or rib eye, flank steak or blade steak)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (added after marinating)
- 1 tablespoon oil (added after marinating)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- ½ white onion (or yellow onion)
- 4-5 slices ginger
- 3 cloves garlic (minced or sliced thinly)
- 1 stalk green onion (cut into 2-inch pieces)
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (or dry sherry/rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (for color, can substitute with regular soy sauce)
- ½ cup water
- Additional oil for cooking (about 3-4 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Preparation: Peel and slice half of the white onion, separating the segments. Thinly slice garlic cloves or mince them as preferred. Slice ginger slices and cut green onion into 2-inch pieces, slicing the thick white parts lengthwise. Set all aside for later.
- Marinate the Beef: Thinly slice the sirloin steak against the grain. To ease slicing, place in freezer for 15 minutes. In a bowl, combine beef with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Marinate for 15 minutes. After marinating, add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and mix well, then add 1 tablespoon oil and mix again. Set aside.
- Make the Stir Fry Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Add sugar, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing cooking wine, and dark soy sauce. Stir well, then add ½ cup water. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Cook the Beef: Heat a large frying pan or wok on high. When very hot, add 3-4 tablespoons oil and the marinated beef. Spread beef evenly to sear, then stir fry for 2-4 minutes until about 90% cooked. Remove beef from pan and set aside.
- Cook Aromatics: Add a little more oil to the pan and toast ginger slices for 1 minute until lightly browned. Add onion slices and stir fry until soft and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Push onions, ginger, and garlic to the side of the pan.
- Finish the Stir Fry: Stir the prepared sauce to recombine settled cornstarch. Pour sauce into the hot pan and stir continuously until sauce thickens and turns dark brown. Mix onions into the sauce and add cooked beef and green onions. Stir fry everything together for about 1 minute to combine flavors.
- Serve: Plate the beef and onion stir fry and enjoy it with steamed rice.
Notes
- For best texture, slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Freezing the beef briefly helps with thin slicing.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control saltiness.
- Add oil generously when searing beef to prevent sticking.
- Stir sauce constantly to avoid lumps and ensure proper thickening.
- This dish pairs perfectly with steamed jasmine or long grain rice.
