Stir-fried Beef with Leeks (Beijing Leek Beef)
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- Meat: 400g beef tenderloin (or well-marbled beef slices)
- Aromatics: 2 leeks (use only the thick white and tender light green parts), 4 slices of ginger (julienned), 3 cloves of garlic (sliced)
- Beef Marinade (Marinate for 20 mins): 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing Huadiao wine, 0.5 tsp sugar, 0.5 tsp chicken powder or salt, 1.5 tsp cornstarch (key for locking in juices), 1.5 tbsp water (massaged into the meat for plumpness), 1 tsp sesame oil (added last)
- Stir-fry Sauce (Mix in a bowl): 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 0.5 tsp dark soy sauce (for color), 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 0.5 tsp sugar, 0.5 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water (mixed directly into the sauce). Note: Keep 0.5 tsp Zhenjiang black vinegar separate for the final step.
Instructions:
- Prep & Marinate: Observe the grain of the beef and slice it into uniform pieces about 2–3 mm thick, cutting across (against) the grain. Place in a bowl with the light soy sauce, wine, sugar, chicken powder, and water. Use your hand to vigorously mix clockwise until the liquid is fully absorbed and the meat feels sticky. Add cornstarch to seal in moisture, then drizzle with sesame oil to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes.
- Cutting Leeks: Wash the leeks and peel off any tough outer layers. Use a diagonal (bias) cut to slice the white parts into 1cm thick pieces. Diagonal cutting increases the surface area, releasing maximum leek aroma during high-heat stir-frying without turning to mush.
- Flash-Frying the Beef: Heat a wok and add 2 tbsp of oil (slightly more than usual). Heat over high heat until the oil just starts to smoke slightly. Add the marinated beef and quickly separate the slices with chopsticks or a spatula. Stir-fry on high heat for 30–40 seconds. As soon as the beef is 70–80% cooked (mostly gray but still slightly pink), remove it immediately and drain. (Do not overcook, or it will become tough when returned to the wok).
- Aromatics & Final Stir-fry: Leave a little base oil in the wok. Turn to high heat and stir-fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add the leek pieces and stir-fry rapidly for about 30 seconds until slightly softened, with golden-brown edges and a strong, aromatic scent.
- Combining: Return the beef to the wok. Give the prepared “Stir-fry Sauce” a quick stir, then pour it around the edges of the wok.
- Finishing: Stir-fry rapidly over extreme high heat for 15–20 seconds, allowing the sauce to instantly reduce and coat the beef and leeks evenly. Just before turning off the heat, splash the 0.5 tsp of black vinegar around the edge of the wok. The residual heat will vaporize the vinegar, releasing a fragrant aroma. Serve immediately.
