Beef and Chinese broccoli, or Jie Lan Niu Rou (芥蓝牛肉), is a Cantonese classic. It is a perfect dinner option because it’s so easy to put together. Since Chinese broccoli is a special ingredient, broccoli is sometimes used as a replacement. And I think beef and broccoli is a more familiar version in the US. But if you ever shop in an Asian grocery store and can find Chinese broccoli, I highly recommend making this dish. Chinese broccoli has a slightly stronger taste and tender leaves. Once cooked, the stems turn tender and the leaves soak up the rich sauce. I have to confess that, whenever I make beef and Chinese broccoli, I devour the Chinese broccoli first and leave the beef behind.
Beef and Chinese broccoli ingredients
How to cut Chinese broccoli
My favorite way to cut Chinese broccoli is to: This way, the Chinese broccoli will be cooked through at the same rate and yield a tender yet crisp texture.
Secret ingredient
Sometimes it can be a bit boring to always serve dishes in brown sauce. That’s why I added a touch of chili oil to the sauce, and the result is AMAZING! Granted, it’s not a traditional ingredient in beef and Chinese broccoli. But it enhances the dish so much that I’d love to share it with you. For the chili oil, I always recommended a homemade one due to its freshness and great taste. But lately, there are so many great chili oil brands popping up that I think the bottled quality is getting higher and higher. Check out the Mala Market Chili Oil if you do not want to make it at home.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, your table should have:
How to cook beef and Chinese broccoli
I love to serve beef and Chinese broccoli over steamed rice. The rich and fragrant brown sauce is boosted by the spicy nutty chili oil, making it so easy to gobble up a big bowl!
Other delicious Cantonese recipes
Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (蚝油芥蓝, Gai Lan) Vegetable Chow Fun (蔬菜炒河粉) Shrimp with Lobster Sauce XO Noodles with Shrimp Gua Bao (Taiwanese Pork Belly Buns, 割包)
