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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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.
Nagi, this is the biz! Can’t stop cooking and eating it. Send help!
Loved cooking this dish and it was devoured by the family! Thanks Nagi! Will have this again for sure.
Another delicious recipe. Loved it 👍
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!
I’m so glad you loved it Maddi – that’s great to hear! N x
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
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!!
Where do I get your all purpose stir fry sauce.
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
Best stir fry I have made. Worth tenderising the meat prior to cooking. Love your recipes Nagi.
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 !!!
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.
Can you tenderise the meat and marinate over night
Hi Chitch, I imagine so – I need to add this to my list of things to test! N x
Thanks for the recipe! Is it okay to use different vegetables if I don’t have some of the ones mentioned? Would mushrooms and asparagus cook in roughly the amount of time?
Made this tonight and loved by the whole family. Easy to make too. Thanks again…
Yes 100%! Use whatever is in the fridge! N x
I made this recipe last night and it was delicious! i prepared the sauce in the morning and then it took me less than 30 minutes to make, I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t have bok choy so I substituted with green beans. I will definitaly make again and will also try it with chicken and broccoli. Thanks for a great recipe!
Perfect Mari! I’m so glad you loved it! N x
Can I substitute the beef with chicken.
Sure can Yanira – N x
Hi Nagi…should your site really be called Charlie Brown’s & Snoopy 2’s Gr8 tucker with just a touch of Peanut !!!!! You and your recipes are awesome…that includes Dozer.
Hi Nagi! Would it taste OK if we added a bit of Siracha to the sauce? We like our meals spicy,
Thx
Yes 100%! Enjoy! N x
Made this tonight. I had 600g beef so I doubled the sauce ingredients maybe that was a mistake it was super thick.
Also is stock the same of broth?
If not then that’s where i went wrong too 🙁
Hi Corinne, it should have been fine to double the sauce, broth is the same as stock! N x
I made your Chop Suey Chicken a few weeks ago,,soooo delish. I will be also cooking this up soon. I used the velveting method and the chicken was melt in your mouth perfection. Can i do the same with the cut up beef?
You sure can Meta – have a read here: https://salesdock.info/how-to-tenderise-beef-velveting-beef/%3C/a%3E N x
This recipe was Devine. This is a real hit and will be cooking this time and time again. Loving the Charlie Sauce .
Well done on this and thank you…….
You’re so welcome Jane!! N x