Broccoli with Beef Tenderloin

Why people make this stir-fry

Nourilo spotted this dish on a restaurant menu and enjoyed it so much he immediately went home and recreated it himself. His version skips the restaurant’s deep-frying and fierce wok heat, but with good-quality beef and fresh broccoli it still comes out tasting great. Broccoli is celebrated in both modern nutrition and traditional Chinese food therapy — it is loaded with vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, and selenium. In Chinese food-therapy thinking, pairing it with beef is said to strengthen the body’s defences and nourish qi (vital energy).

Method

1. Marinate the beef cubes in light soy sauce (and a splash of any fresh fruit juice — see tips) for at least 30 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Blanch the broccoli florets briefly, then drain.
3. Heat oil in a wok or large pan. Pan-fry the beef cubes for about 3 minutes until just cooked through.
4. Add the minced garlic, bell pepper strips, and blanched broccoli.
5. Toss everything together over high heat, add a splash of rice wine, season to taste, and stir-fry for another minute. Serve immediately.

Nourilo’s Tips

Adding a small amount of fresh fruit juice to the marinade — kiwi, pineapple, pear, or orange juice all work — helps break down the proteins and keeps the beef wonderfully tender. For a single serving, half a head of broccoli and about 115 g of beef is plenty. Eat the broccoli on the same day; it does not store well overnight.