Chinese-Style Beef and Vegetable Wok

• 400g beef tenderloin, thinly sliced
• 2 coloured bell peppers
• 1 onion
• 200g broccoli
• 2 carrots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cm fresh ginger
• oyster sauce
• soy sauce
• Shaoxing rice wine
• cornstarch
• sesame oil

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Marinate the beef for 15 minutes with soy sauce, cornstarch and rice wine.

2. 2

   Make the sauce: mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and cornstarch.

3. 3

   Heat the wok until smoking. Cook the beef in separate pieces for 1 minute. Set aside.

4. 4

   In the same wok with more oil, fry the garlic and ginger. Add vegetables in order (carrot, broccoli, peppers).

5. 5

   Return the meat, add the sauce and toss for 1 minute. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil.

💡 Chef's tip

The heat must be as high as possible so the vegetables sear without steaming. If you have an induction hob, preheat the wok empty for 3 minutes.

📝 Our take

High-heat wok cooking is the invisible chef in this recipe. Without that extreme heat (what the Chinese call wok hei, the breath of the wok), the vegetables steam instead of charring and the result is completely different. The beef must be sliced paper-thin and marinated in baking soda to stay tender. Equal parts oyster sauce and soy sauce is the umami secret.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Cold Chinese lager (Tsingtao or similar). A very aromatic white like an Alsatian Gewürztraminer also works, standing up to the bold soy flavours.

Suggested wine: Gewürztraminer