Asparagus Beef

It’s a Chinese dish made with beef and asparagus in a delicious brown sauce. In just 30 minutes, you can whip up a delightful asparagus dish!

Chinese asparagus beef is a popular beef dish in Chinese restaurants across the country, and a few readers emailed me about it. When served with your choice of protein, such as chicken, beef, or shrimp, asparagus is a delicious side dish.

With the addition of some red bell peppers, I’ve come up with this recipe for asparagus beef, which goes perfectly with steamed white or brown rice.

When it comes to Chinese stir-fry, the most common mistake is to use an unappetizing brown sauce—gloppy, gooey, and starchy. The best Chinese stir-fries are light and flavorful with just the right spice.

To ensure tenderness, the beef should be sliced against the grain and marinated in cornstarch, following traditional Chinese “velveting” and marinating procedures. I cover every Chinese stir-frying and cooking aspect in my cookbook Easy Chinese Recipes. If you’re interested, you can buy a copy through Amazon.

Aside from that, another method for making beef or chicken juicy and moist is to flash fry the meat in boiling oil or cook it in a quick stir-fry until it’s half done.

The second method, which is detailed in the recipe section, is the one I always follow.

Here’s my recipe for asparagus beef. You can substitute chicken or shrimp for the meat if you prefer. When it comes to food, this is an excellent choice.

It’s time to eat!

The average number of calories in one serving

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 250 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

The following recipes are great for a quick weeknight meal:

• Pumpkin Rice Noodles
• Asam Pedas Fish
• Lotus Root Soup
• Braised Bean Curd with Mushrooms (Firm Tofu)

Ingredients:

• thin slices of 8 oz. (226 g) beef, split into eighths
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 170 g asparagus spears, sliced into long strips (about 6 oz.)
• 1 tiny red bell pepper, peeled and cut into long strips

Ingredients for the Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 dashes ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce or oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 1 pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon black/dark soy sauce for coloring purposes
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients thoroughly for the marinade. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Set aside the sauce after combining all of the ingredients.
3. Using a wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat to medium. Toss in the beef and cook it for a few seconds until the surface is translucent and slightly charred. Transfer to a different location and put away.
4. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the wok and clean it out before using it again. The garlic should be added when the oil is heated and cooked for a few seconds until the garlic turns fragrant. Before returning the steak to the wok, add the asparagus and toss it around a few times to combine the flavors.
5. Then toss in the sauce and make sure it’s well combined. Serve with the bell peppers on the side.