This is made with a simple but super flavourful, classic Chinese stir fry sauce. It’s a real sauce, one that tastes just like you get at proper Chinese restaurants!
Chinese Beef Stir Fry
Stir fries are my go-to for those nights when I can’t deal with more than the bare minimum effort for dinner. I know I can always knock up a stir fry using whatever greens I have left in my fridge. Even if I only have green beans and an onion (and some protein!). As long as I have a tasty sauce, I’m one happy gal!
So I have a secret weapon for super fast midweek meals – a homemade all purpose stir fry sauce. I call him Charlie. As in – Charlie Brown, because it’s a brown sauce. Ha ha ha. Don’t kill yourself laughing at my lack of originality!
Charlie is my secret weapon because he takes minutes to make and lasts in the fridge for weeks and weeks. He is similar to the sauce of many Chinese stir fries, but not an exact replica of any. Which means he is a great base to use for a seemingly endless array of Chinese dishes with the addition of a few extra flavourings.
And he’s real. He tastes like a real Chinese stir fry sauce, with proper depth of flavour.
Say hi to Charlie! That’s him on the bottom right photo. Looks unimpressive, doesn’t he? No hint of the power within! 🙂
The beauty of Charlie is that he will reside in your fridge for weeks, then when you need him, he’s always ready to go. Just give him a good shake, pour him in your stir fry and add water. He’s already got cornstarch/cornflour in him so he turns into a glorious thick sauce that coats your stir fry beautifully.
It’s been over a year since I last shared a recipe using Charlie. The reason I thought of this is because Super Food Ideas (Australia’s #1 food magazine!) asked me to do a feature with a series of recipes using Charlie. You will be amazed what you can make with him! Not just stir fries – soups, sauces, noodle stir fries and even using him as a marinade.
So I spent last week developing recipes for the Super Food Ideas feature (which comes out in early February – I’ll share more about that when the issue is released!). And I had a handful of ingredients leftover which is why I decided to share this stir fry recipe today.
If you want more ideas for how to use Charlie, you can have a look at this post – 10 Classic Chinese Dishes, 1 Amazing Sauce, where I share 10 more Chinese dishes (all on one page!) that you can make using Charlie.
For now, I present to you this classic Beef Stir Fry made using Charlie. 🙂 BUT I’ve also provided the ingredients to make the sauce from scratch too. Enjoy! – Nagi x
Option: Tenderising beef for stir fries
Ever notice how the meat in Chinese dishes is so incredibly tender, and how your stir fries at home are just never the same? The secret is tenderising the meat – a method called velveting.
That’s right. Your cheerful local Chinese restaurant is using economical stewing beef to make stir fries with ultra tender strips of beef by tenderising it!
Find out how to use this simple, highly effective method: How to Tenderise Beef (the Chinese way).
This is optional only, when wanting to make stir fries with economical beef or you simply want extra tender beef, Chinese restaurant style!
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Easy Classic Chinese Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce (Note 1)
- 3 tsp cornstarch / corn flour*
- 2 tbsp + 1/3 cup water , separated
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (Note 2)*
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce*
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (Note 3)*
- 1 tsp white sugar*
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)*
- Dash of black pepper*
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 garlic clove , crushed
- 7 oz / 200 g beef , good quality, thinly sliced (Note 4)
- 1/2 small onion , sliced (yellow, brown or white)
- 1/2 red bell pepper / capsicum , sliced
- 1 small carrot , halved lengthwise and sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 3 baby pak choy / bok choy , quartered lengthwise
- 2 stems scallion / shallots , cut into 1.5"/3cm pieces
To Serve
- Steamed white rice
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- Fresh cilantro / coriander (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the cornstarch and 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl, mix until smooth.
- Mix in remaining Sauce ingredients EXCEPT the 1/3 cup water.
- Place the beef and 2 tbsp of Sauce in a bowl and mix gently. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Add 1/3 cup water into the remaining Sauce. Set aside.
- Heat oil in wok over high heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
- Add onion and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the beef and cook until it changes colour from red to light brown but not cooked through.
- Add bell pepper and carrots and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add Sauce and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add pak choy and scallions/shallots and cook for a further 1 minute until the Sauce is thickened.
- Remove from heat immediately.
- Serve immediately with rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro, if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition per serving, excluding rice. You can reduce the calories by 80 calories by using a non stick skillet and halving the oil.
Claire says
This recipe is incredible, it tasted better than the Chinese restaurants. I velveted the beef which made a big difference in tenderness and added broccolini and ginger too. Can’t wait to make this again, thanks Nagi!
Greg says
Hi – We love this recipe!!! If we added ‘sweet chili sauce’ to this recipe, how much would you recommend?
Ross says
The whole family loved it , tender and crisp with just the right flavour in the sauce. Totally recommend.
Karen Eastwood says
Make this Excellent recipe recommend to everyone
Sonia says
Followed this recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly – truly delicious! I’m now a Charlie convert with a jar in my fridge! 🙂
Julie ingram says
Hi Nagi, this was the best stir fry at home I’ve had in in a while, I did substitute with chicken & velveted the meat, so so tender, I used carrot, snow peas, button squash & Malabar greens, then followed your recipe and your Charlie sauce is now my go to favourite, thanks Julie
Nagi says
Sounds perfect Julie!! N x
Marie-Odile Froment says
I added shiitake mushrooms, it was delicious as well. Next time will try adding ginger too. Your recipes are great.
Luc René de Cotret says
I’ve done both and can confirm they work marvelously with this recipe! I can’t alwys find shiitake mushrooms, but sliced button mushrooms are nice as well. Ginger is now a 100% forever addition to this recipe whenever I cook it, it adds so much to it! Add it along with the garlic.
Nagi says
Thanks for those great tips Luc!! N x
Santiago says
This recipe is really, awesome it’s become one of my staples.
Wanted to know though, can you freeze the sauce if you wanna make some in bulk?
Nagi says
Hi Santiago, unfortunately you can’t freeze it as it changes the consistency of the cornflour once thawed. You can make my all purpose starry sauce though and store in the fridge 🙂 N x
Brooke says
Nagi, this is the biz! Can’t stop cooking and eating it. Send help!
Julie Humphreys says
Loved cooking this dish and it was devoured by the family! Thanks Nagi! Will have this again for sure.
Renee says
Another delicious recipe. Loved it 👍
Maddi says
This was delicious! My husband came out of the shower – upstairs – and commented that it smelt like a Chinese restaurant so I’ll take that as a win! Did it with noodles but would like to try it with rice!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Maddi – that’s great to hear! N x
Reham says
I have tried it today , it is very delicious I added grated fresh ginger with the garlic at first, I steamed some carrots and green beans and added them at the end ,it was well balanced dish, just perfect , I made vermicelli as a side , thanks a lot
Meiling Akbarally says
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!!
Dorothy says
Where do I get your all purpose stir fry sauce.
Jason N says
Wowsers – the recipe was amazing and I am Chinese! First time in my life I can say I made a restaurant quality stir fry ! This is a keeper
Teresa Biffin says
Best stir fry I have made. Worth tenderising the meat prior to cooking. Love your recipes Nagi.
Tracey Mumford says
I cooked this using your tip for marinating the meat. The family thought it was better than any restaurant food!! They can’t wait to have again. So thankyou !!!
Diane says
Nagi, this was just delicious! The tenderizing of the beef was the best that I’ve ever made myself at home in a stir fry. I made it with your basmati rice recipe and it was a huge success. Cannot wait to try it with chicken. I make terrible stir frys and this is finally the game changer. I’ve made several of your recipes and this one was worthy of a comment. Thank you to you and Dozer for all of the yummy recipes.
Chitch says
Can you tenderise the meat and marinate over night
Nagi says
Hi Chitch, I imagine so – I need to add this to my list of things to test! N x