Stir-Fried Beef With Kale and Frisée in Black Bean Sauce Recipe
This dish, made with equal parts beef and greens in a light yet flavor-packed black bean sauce with garlic, doesn’t quite qualify as a side dish. And since I use a mixture of kale and frisée—two decidedly Western greens—it doesn’t fit the label of “Chinese greens” either. But the basic technique I rely on—a quick stir-fry without blanching—works for any hearty green leafy vegetable, whether it’s Chinese or not.
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 20 mins; Active time: 20 mins; Total time: 30 mins; Serves: 3 to 4
Ingredients
1/2 pound flank steak, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon fermented black beans
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons water
12 ounces kale and/or frisée, tender stems chopped into 2-inch pieces, leaves roughly torn
Kosher salt
Directions
Combine the flank steak, sugar, black pepper, Shaoxing wine, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Rinse the fermented black beans in a small bowl of water, drain, and pat dry with a paper towel. Roughly chop them and combine with the chopped garlic; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, 3 tablespoons water, remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the kale stems and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the frisée and kale leaves. Continue stir-frying until the greens wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with a few pinches of kosher salt, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over high heat until smoking. Add the garlic and fermented black beans, stir-frying for about 30 seconds. Add the marinated beef, spreading it out with a spatula. Cook without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, stirring regularly, until the beef is half-cooked, 2 minutes more.
Return the wilted greens to the wok and stir to combine. Push the beef and vegetables to the sides of the wok, making a well in the center. Stir the reserved sauce mixture and pour it into the well. Once the sauce bubbles, mix everything together until the beef and greens are evenly coated. Transfer to a serving platter immediately and serve with white rice.
Special Equipment
Wok
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Servings
3 to 4
Calories
285
**% Daily Value* **
Total Fat
18g (23%)
Saturated Fat
4g (20%)
Cholesterol
45mg (15%)
Sodium
563mg (24%)
Total Carbohydrate
12g (5%)
Dietary Fiber
4g (13%)
Total Sugars
2g
Protein
20g
Vitamin C
103mg (517%)
Calcium
152mg (12%)
Iron
3mg (14%)
Potassium
680mg (14%)
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
