Chinese: Asparagus with Black Bean Beef
Submitted by helen1
Tender marinated beef and crisp asparagus stir-fried with pungent fermented black beans and garlic in a savory cornstarch gravy. A classic Chinese takeout dish made from scratch at home.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
20READY
1 hrsThis is the dish that makes you wonder why you ever ordered takeout.
Thin-sliced beef gets tenderized with a baking soda soak (a classic Chinese restaurant trick), then marinated in soy, rice wine, and sugar before hitting a screaming hot wok.
Fermented black beans mashed with garlic bring that deep, funky, umami-rich flavor that defines this style of Cantonese cooking.
The asparagus gets a quick steam-fry under a lid so it stays snappy and bright green, then everything comes together in a glossy cornstarch gravy.
Kitchen Tips
- Slice the beef while it’s still partially frozen. You’ll get much thinner, more even pieces than trying to cut fully thawed meat.
- Rinse the fermented black beans before using them. They’re intensely salty straight from the jar, and rinsing keeps the dish balanced.
- Have everything prepped and measured before you start cooking. Once the wok is hot, this moves fast.
- Don’t overcook the beef. Pull it from the wok while it’s still barely pink in spots. It will finish cooking when you toss everything together at the end.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the beef when it is partially frozen, and cut it across the grain into thin slices.
Stir baking soda solution into the beef (to help tenderize it).
Stir in the marinade.
Then stir in 1 teaspoon peanut oil and marinate the beef for one hour or more in the refrigerator.
Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil over high heat, add ½ teaspoon salt.
Stir in asparagus.
Add ¼ cup water. Cover pan for 2 minutes, and do not lift lid.
When done, remove to a platter.
Over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
Stir-fry the RINSED black beans and garlic mixture.
Stir for a few seconds. Add the beef. Stir-fry quickly until barely.
Do not overcook or the beef will become tough. Sizzle in 1 tablespoon of rice wine and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce.
Stir in asparagus.
Add gravy mixture.
Stir until thickened. Serve hot.
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