Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb Beef, cut into strips
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp Ginger, minced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 cup Carrots, sliced
• Snow Peas
• Bean Sprouts
• 1 cup Broccoli Pieces
• 1/2 cup Beef Bouillon
• 1 tbsp Corn starch
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce

Method

Heat your wok or large frying pan over a high flame until it smokes. This is non-negotiable: high-heat-cooking in a wok works because the curved sides and narrow base concentrate the heat, and the metal must be hot enough to sear the beef without stewing it. Slice your beef against the grain into strips roughly 5mm thick — this matters because you're cutting through muscle fibres, which shortens them and makes the meat tender despite the brief cooking. When the wok is properly hot, add half the oil, let it shimmer for five seconds, then add the beef in a single layer. Don't stir immediately. Let it sit for 30 seconds until the underside browns and releases easily from the wok, then toss and cook for another minute until the exterior is caramelised but the interior stays rare. Push the beef to the sides of the wok.

Add the remaining oil and the ginger and garlic. You're building flavour aromatics now — the heat will drive the volatile oils from these aromatic-vegetables into the fat, coating everything that follows. Stir for 20 seconds until the raw bite softens and the wok smells rich. Add the broccoli, carrots, and snow peas. Keep the heat high and toss continuously for three minutes. The vegetables should retain a slight firmness and a bright colour — if they turn dull or soft, you've overcooked them. They'll continue cooking as the sauce comes together.

Return the beef to the centre of the wok. Mix the cornstarch with 100ml water and the soy sauce in a small bowl — this is your thickening agent, and the cornstarch needs time in cold liquid to hydrate or it'll clump when it hits the heat. Pour it over the beef and vegetables and toss for 30 seconds. The cornstarch slurry will thicken from translucent to glossy within two minutes as the heat cooks out the raw starch taste. Taste and adjust salt sparingly — soy sauce carries sodium already. The finished dish should coat the beef and vegetables in a glossy, clingy sauce, not a watery pool.

Serve immediately over steamed rice. The moment the sauce hits the wok is when it peaks; hold it any longer and it'll stiffen as it cools.