Asparagus & Beef with Black Beans
Submitted by Remus77
Asparagus and beef stir-fry with Chinese fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and oyster sauce. A classic Cantonese wok dish that comes together in under 5 minutes once the prep is done.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
5 minREADY
20 minAsparagus and beef with black beans is restaurant-style Cantonese stir-fry at home. Salted preserved black beans (the funky, fermented kind sold at Chinese markets, not regular black turtle beans) are mashed into a paste with garlic and ginger to form the aromatic backbone of the entire dish. That paste is what gives this stir-fry its unmistakable savory-pungent depth.
Flank steak sliced thinly against the grain stays tender even at high heat. The cornstarch-based marinade does double duty: tenderizing the meat and creating a coating that locks in juices during the brief sear.
Wok hei (the smoky, charred essence of true stir-fry) is built through extreme heat and small batches. Adding the asparagus in 2 or 3 batches with the wok reheating between each is the technique that separates a vibrant stir-fry from a soggy stew. Crowd the wok and you steam the vegetables; respect the heat and you sear them.
Pro Tips
- Rinse the salted black beans thoroughly before mashing. They are heavily preserved and unrinsed beans make the dish too salty.
- Slice the beef while partially frozen for cleaner, thinner slices. 20 minutes in the freezer firms it just enough.
- Have every ingredient prepped and within arm’s reach before turning on the heat. Stir-fries cook in seconds; there is no time to chop while cooking.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the center of the wok, not around the edges. The center is hottest and thickens the sauce instantly.
Variations
- Replace flank steak with sliced chicken breast, pork tenderloin, or shrimp; adjust cooking time to 30 to 45 seconds for shrimp.
- Add 1 sliced red bell pepper along with the onion for extra color and a sweet counterpoint.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine in place of rice wine for a more authentic Chinese flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Cover the black beans with warm water for 5 minutes. Drain. Rinse thoroughly to remove salt.
Put into a bowl with the garlic and ginger; mash into a paste and set aside. Slice the beef against the grain into ¼ inch thick slices; toss with the beef marinade. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Preheat a wok until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Over high heat, add beef and stir-fry for a minute or until seared; remove and set aside. While wok is hot, add remaining oil, salt and reserved black-bean paste; stir-fry until fragrant, a few seconds. Toss in the onions, stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add the asparagus in 2-or-3 batches, seconds apart, making certain the wok is hot before adding the next batch. Toss and stir until asparagus are coated with the oil. Sprinkle with soy sauce, toss together, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. If the asparagus needs more cooking, cover for a minute.
Meanwhile, stir the cornstarch, water, sugar and oyster sauce into a smooth paste. When the asparagus is tender but still crisp, add the cornstarch liquid into the center of the wok. Immediately stir until thickened, about 10 seconds.
Return the beef, add a desh of sesame oil; toss to mix.
Serve hot over rice.
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