This recipe started as the Woks of Life recipe for beef and broccoli, followed by modifications to achieve what I wanted. For example, at over $6 per pound, flank steak is no bargain, so I'd either use sirloin steak or choose a tender cut of beef like rib eye or filet and skip the baking soda velveting.

I used sirloin steak and three hours of marinating time to velvet the beef. It came out perfect! It was very tender even at a thickness of 1/4".

Make this dish. You will be pleased. So will your guests.

Ingredients: (makes 3 to 4 generous servings)

For the beef and marinade:

1 1/4 pounds of flank (or sirloin) steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick (or a tender cut of beef like rib eye or filet)

1/3 teaspoon of baking soda (only if you are using flank steak or sirloin steak)

3 tablespoons of water

1 1/2 teaspoons of cornstarch

2 teaspoons of canola oil

1 teaspoon of oyster sauce

For the sauce:

2/3 cup of chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons of granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons of mushroom soy sauce

1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of white pepper

1 teaspoon of sea salt

For the rest of the dish:

3 to 4 cups of broccoli florets

3 tablespoons of canola oil (divided)

1 clove of garlic (minced)

1/4 teaspoon of ginger (grated/minced, optional)

2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine

2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water

3 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Prepare the rice you plan to serve, following package directions. Put the cooked rice in a bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and put it into a 180 degrees F warming oven.

Put the serving bowl you plan to use for the beef and broccoli and individual serving bowls for each guest into a 180 degrees F warming oven.

Put the sliced beef along with the (optional) baking soda and water into a large bowl.

Mix in the remaining marinade ingredients: cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce, with the beef and water. Put the beef and the marinade into a one quart Ziploc® freezer bag. Expel all the air and seal the bag. Set the beef aside in the refrigerator to marinate for two to three hours. Turn the bag over three or four times during marinating.

Make the sauce mixture by mixing together the chicken broth, sugar, mushroom soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper and sea salt. Set the sauce mixture aside.

Bring a one gallon pot of water to a boil and blanch your broccoli for 90 seconds. Drain off the water and set the broccoli aside in a bowl.

Heat the wok over high heat until it is smoking.

Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil, let it heat for a minute, and then add the beef, and stir fry the beef until it is browned, about 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat, remove the beef from the wok, and set it aside in a bowl.

Set the wok over medium heat and add another tablespoon of oil along with the garlic and (ginger). Stir fry the garlic and (ginger) for 30 seconds and then pour the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok.

Add in the sauce mixture you made earlier. Stir the sauce around the sides of the wok to deglaze it .

Bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch and water into a slurry to ensure it’s well combined, and drizzle the mixture into the sauce while stirring constantly. Allow it to simmer and thicken for 20 seconds.

Toss in the blanched broccoli and the seared beef.

Mix everything together over medium heat until the sauce coats the beef and broccoli and the mixture is starting to steam.

If the sauce seems thin, turn up the heat and reduce it further, or add a bit more cornstarch slurry. If the sauce is too thick, add 1/3 cup of water and stir to mix, then continue cooking until the sauce has the thickness you want.

Serve the beef and broccoli in the pre-warmed large serving bowl. Sprinkle the (optional) toasted sesame seeds over the top.

Serve the beef and broccoli with the steamed rice using the individual pre-warmed serving bowls.

Enjoy!