Adam Liaw’s stir-fried beef and asparagus

Name: Adam Liaw’s stir-fried beef and asparagus
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 as part of a shared meal
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 200g topside or rump steak, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 large bunch (or 2 small bunches) of asparagus, sliced on a steep diagonal; ½ brown onion, thickly sliced; 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1cm ginger, peeled and sliced into very thin matchsticks; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; ¼ tsp sugar; 1 tsp cornflour mixed with ¼ cup cold water

Adam Liaw

November 14, 2023

Stir-fried beef and asparagus.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4 as part of a shared meal

When asparagus is in season, it’s one of the best stir-fry vegetables.

Ingredients

200g topside or rump steak, thinly sliced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large bunch (or 2 small bunches) of asparagus, sliced on a steep diagonal
½ brown onion, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1cm ginger, peeled and sliced into very thin matchsticks
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp cornflour mixed with ¼ cup cold water

MEAT MARINADE

1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Shaoxing wine
good pinch of salt
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cornflour

Method

Step 1
Combine the meat with the marinade ingredients. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Heat a wok over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the asparagus and toss until slightly softened. Remove from the wok, leaving the oil.
Step 3
Add the beef and spread it out in a single layer over the base of the wok. Fry for about 3 minutes without stirring, until the beef is well-browned on one side. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, toss the beef and fry for a further minute.
Step 4
Return the asparagus to the wok and add the wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar. If the wok is too dry, add a few tablespoons of water, then add as much of the cornflour mixture as you need to produce a silky sauce. Serve with steamed rice.

Adam’s tip: If you’re not sure how long ingredients take to cook in a wok, cook each one separately and mix them together at the end when you add your seasonings.