Beef with Oyster Sauce

Beef with Oyster Sauce

　　“Beef with Oyster Sauce” is a famous signature dish from Guangzhou. This dish is made by cooking tender beef with oyster sauce, resulting in an exceptionally delicious flavor that has earned high praise from both domestic and international diners.

　　 Oyster sauce, also known as oyster extract, is a commonly used seasoning in Cantonese cuisine with an extremely rich umami taste. It gets its name because the Cantonese refer to oysters as “haa1 si6” (蚝豉). During the processing of oyster sauce, the broth left over after boiling oysters is concentrated to make the sauce. Oyster sauce is a premium, nutritious condiment suitable for use in noodle dishes, as a bread dip, or in stir-frying. When paired with beef from bovine species such as yellow cattle or water buffalo—which is warm in nature and sweet in flavor—it offers benefits such as strengthening the spleen and stomach, enriching qi and blood, and fortifying bones and tendons. Beef is high in protein and contains various essential amino acids required by the human body, making it an excellent food for health and fitness.

　　 The art master Liu Haisu once dined at Jingyang Restaurant in Shanghai’s Hongqiao area. The chef there arranged shredded potatoes in a specially designed spoon, deep-fried them into the shape of a sparrow’s nest, decorated the outside with green chopped vegetables, and placed the “Beef with Oyster Sauce” inside, adding a touch of wild charm to the dish. Master Liu was highly impressed upon seeing this creation.

　　 Origin: Guangdong

　　 Preparation Method

　　 【Ingredients】

　　 250g beef sirloin slices, 3g baking soda, 10g oyster sauce, 1 egg, 25g Shaoxing wine, 35g dry starch, 30g white soy sauce, 10g salt, a small amount of minced ginger, scallion segments, MSG, sugar, and fresh broth, 250g cooking oil (40g actually consumed).

　　 【Preparation】

　　 (1) Trim the beef and cut it into thin slices about 4cm long and 2cm wide. In a separate container, mix baking soda, sugar, white soy sauce, salt, wine, egg, and water to form a marinade. Add the beef slices and mix well, then marinate for about half an hour.

　　 (2) Heat the cooking oil in a wok over medium heat until it reaches 60% heat. Add the beef slices and use a spatula to separate them one by one. Fry for about 1 minute, then remove and drain the oil. Leave about 20g of oil in the wok, sauté the scallion segments and minced ginger until fragrant, then add the beef and stir-fry briefly. Pour in the oyster sauce, fresh broth, and salt, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, stir well, then plate the dish.