Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Stir-fried Beef with Spinach
菠菜炒牛肉
Recipe overview
This Hong Kong home stir-fry is ready in about 25 minutes. Marinate beef, sear it over medium-high heat until about 90 percent cooked and set it aside. Wash and drain spinach thoroughly, stir-fry stems before leaves, then return beef with a thin oyster sauce. The beef is tender and fully cooked, spinach stays green, and the wok is not watery.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 350 g Tender beef (Use tenderloin, chuck or quick-cooking beef; slice against the grain into 4–5 cm long, 3–4 mm thin pieces and pat dry if wet)
- 400 g Spinach (Trim roots, wash twice and drain fully; cut long pieces to 8–10 cm and separate stems from leaves)
- 3 cloves, sliced Garlic
- 3 slices, finely sliced Ginger
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
Beef marinade
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce (for beef)
- 1 tsp Oyster sauce (for beef)
- 1/2 tsp Sugar (for beef)
- 2 tsp Cornstarch (for beef)
- 1 pinch White pepper (for beef)
- 1 tsp Cooking oil (mix in last)
Spinach stir-fry sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce (for final toss)
- 1 tsp Light soy sauce (for final toss)
- 2 tbsp Water (for sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Sugar (for sauce)
- 1/2 tsp Sesame oil (add last)
02
Tools
- Chinese wok or large skillet
- Chinese wok or large skillet
- Wok spatula
- Chef knife
- Chopping board
- Large bowl for washing spinach
- Colander
- Small beef-marinating bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Large serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Wash spinach
Swish spinach in plenty of water, lift it out, change water and wash again; about 3 minutes until no grit remains.
Step 2
Drain and cut spinach
Drain thoroughly; shake or pat dry if droplets remain. Cut 8–10 cm and separate stems from leaves.
Step 3
Slice beef against the grain
Observe the grain, then slice against the grain into 4–5 cm long, 3–4 mm thin slices; do not cut thick chunks.
Step 4
Marinate beef
Mix beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch and white pepper; mix in oil last and marinate 10 minutes.
Step 5
Mix sauce
Mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar until even; keep sesame oil for the end.
Step 6
Preheat wok
Preheat a wok over medium-high 45–60 seconds, then spread about 1 tbsp oil; it should flow quickly without heavy smoke.
Step 7
Sear beef
Spread beef in one layer. Sear 20–30 seconds, then stir-fry 1–1.5 minutes. Remove when about 90 percent cooked, mostly brown with tiny pink areas.
Step 8
Sauté garlic and ginger
Add remaining oil, garlic and ginger; stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant without burning garlic.
Step 9
Stir-fry spinach stems
Add thicker spinach stems and stir-fry 30–45 seconds over medium-high until bright green and just softened.
Step 10
Add spinach leaves
Add leaves and stir-fry 45–60 seconds until just wilted but green, with no large watery pool.
Step 11
Return beef and sauce
Return beef, stir sauce again and add around wok edge. Toss 45–60 seconds and finish with sesame oil. Beef must be fully cooked through with no raw colour at the centre.
Step 12
Plate immediately
Turn off heat as soon as beef is fully cooked and spinach is just tender. Plate at once; beef stays tender and spinach green.
Common mistakes
- Undrained spinach makes a watery wok; drain fully.
- Beef cut with the grain is chewy; slice against the grain.
- Overcooking beef first makes it tough after returning.
- Cooking stems and leaves together overcooks leaves.
- Low heat makes spinach release water.
- Leaving food in the hot wok overcooks it.
Tips
Spinach hides grit, so change water. Do not press spinach. Cut beef shorter for children while keeping it thin. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.
