Shanghai Beef Recipes

LUMPIA (SHANGHAI VERSION)

Steps:

• In a Large bowl, combine ground pork, ground beef, onion, and carrot. Make sure to completely mix everything. I suggest getting down and dirty and use your hands. Knead the meat in the bowl if you must. Gradually blend in the soy sauce , black pepper, garlic powder, and salt until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Lay out a few wrappers at a time on a flat surface, and place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in a line down the center of the wrapper. Make sure the filling is no thicker than your thumb, or the wrapper will cook faster than the meat. Take the bottom and top edges of the wrapper and fold them towards the center. Take the left and right sides, and fold them towards the center. Moisten the last edge of the wrapper to seal. Now repeat using the rest of the wrappers, and have hubby or the kids help you out.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry 3 or 4 lumpia at a time. Fry for about 3 or 4 minutes, turning once. Lumpia are cooked through when they float, and the wrapper is golden brown. Cut in half, or serve as is with dipping sauce. We like sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce with lemon, or banana ketchup.

MONGOLIAN BEEF

Steps:

• Combine the sliced beef with 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Marinate for 1 hour. The beef should still be quite moist after it has marinated. If it looks too dry, add a tablespoon of water to it.
• Next, dredge the marinated beef slices in the remaining 1/4 cup of cornstarch until lightly coated.
• In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and hot water (or low sodium chicken or beef stock) until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce. If you don't have low sodium soy sauce, substitute 2 1/2 tablespoons regular soy sauce and 1 1/2 tablespoons water. The saltiness of various soy sauce brands varies, so give the sauce a taste, and adjust the amounts of sugar/soy sauce/water/stock to your own taste.
• Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in the wok over high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the flank steak pieces evenly in the wok, and sear for 1 minute (depending upon the heat of your wok). Turn over and let the other side sear for another 30 seconds. Remove to a sheet pan. Tilt it slightly to let the oil drain to one side (lean it on a cookbook or cutting board). The beef should be seared with a crusty coating.
• Drain the oil from the wok, leaving 1 tablespoon behind, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the ginger and dried chili peppers, if using. After about 15 seconds, add the garlic. Stir for another 10 seconds and add the premixed sauce.
• Let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry mixture. Cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Add the beef and scallions and toss everything together for another 30 seconds. There should be almost no liquid, as the sauce should be clinging to the beef. If you still have sauce, increase the heat slightly and stir until thickened. Plate and serve with steamed rice!

SHANGHAI NOODLES (CU CHAO MIAN)

Steps:

• To make the marinade, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and ginger and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the pork in the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the marinade for later.
• Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet on high heat and fry the pork for one minute or until done. Remove the pork and set aside. Next fry the white parts of the cabbage and green onions along with the garlic for 30 seconds or until tender. Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, chicken/cornstarch mixture and the green parts of the cabbage and green onions. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and stir until combined. Add white pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

CHINESE BEEF STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the beef, ginger, and peppercorn in cold water, enough to cover the beef. Bring the water to a boil. Let it boil for about five minutes. Remove the beef, wash and cut into chunks.
• Heat some vegetable oil. Saute the ginger, garlic, and scallion until aromatic. Add the blanched beef. Stir-fry for five minutes or until the beef turn slightly brown.
• Add the ingredients in the seasoning section.
• Add the dried orange peel, bay leaves, and star anise.
• Stew over low heat for two hours. Turn the beef occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Add the cut radish. Continue cooking for 30-45 minute or until the radish becomes soft.
• Dish out and garnish with chopped scallion.

HUNAN BEEF

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the sliced flank steak with the baking soda, water and oyster sauce. Massage these ingredients into the beef until any liquid has been absorbed by the meat. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Lightly dredge all of the beef slices in cornstarch. Set aside until ready to fry.
• Slice all the fresh peppers crosswise into thin slices on the diagonal. Set aside the dried red peppers. Do not break them open or chop unless you want a very spicy Hunan Beef!
• Stir the sugar into 2 tablespoons of hot water until dissolved. Add the Chinese black vinegar, soy sauce, and ground white pepper. Mix until well combined and set aside.
• Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Spread ⅓ cup oil around the wok, and sear the beef in three batches on both sides until browned and slightly crispy on the outside. Be sure the wok and oil are hot each time you add a batch of beef.
• Drain the crispy beef by moving it up to the side of the wok. The oil will drain to the bottom and you can then transfer the beef to a sheet pan or plate. No need for paper towels or wire racks!
• After frying the beef, leave about 2 tablespoons of the oil in the wok, and remove any excess. If your wok got burned in the frying process, this is a good time to wash it. While you want the beef flavor from frying, you definitely don't want burned bits in the stir-fry if you got carried away with the heat during frying.
• Set the wok over medium heat. Add the sliced ginger and fry until caramelized, about 30 seconds.
• Next, add the shallots. Continue to fry for another 30 seconds, and add the fresh peppers (except for the red holland or fresno peppers). Turn the heat up to high and stir-fry for 1 minute to get a nice sear on the peppers.
• Clear a section on the bottom of the wok, and add the dried chili peppers. Let them toast in the oil for 20 seconds. (If you want your dish spicier, add the dried chili peppers earlier, along with the shallots.)
• Next, pour the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok. Add the sliced garlic, fermented black beans, and the red Holland or Fresno peppers. Stir-fry for another 30 to 60 seconds on high heat.
• Next, add the fried beef and pour over the pre-prepared sauce. Maintain the highest heat possible and stir-fry everything together for 20 seconds. Add the scallions. Continue to stir fry until most--if not all--of the sauce has evaporated.

CHINESE BLACK PEPPER BEEF

Steps:

• Cut the beef steak into 1cm wide strips. Marinate with all the marinating seasonings including soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, sugar, Chinese cooking wine and cornstarch for 15 minutes. Mix in sesame oil just before start frying.
• Add cooking oil in a large pan until the oil can evenly cover the bottom of the pan. spread the beef strips in. Let them stay for around 5 to 6 seconds and gently stir them several times until the beef strips change color. Transfer the beef out and leave around 1 tablespoon of the oil in.
• Fry garlic until aromatic. Fry green peppers and red onion until slightly soft (do not kill them). Add a small pinch of salt. Return beef strips back. Mix well. Spread freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve hot with noodles or steamed rice.

SPICY SHANGHAI BEEF

Steps:

• Heat wok to 375°F and then add oil (always heat wok first).
• Stir-fry garlic, ginger, red pepper, and onion until soft and translucent.
• Add beef and stir-fry until beef is light brown and lightly springy to touch (DO NOT drain fat from beef).
• In bowl combine 1/4 cup chicken broth, hoisin sauce, beef broth and soy sauce.
• Stir broth mixture into beef/onion mixture.
• Cover and reduce heat.
• Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/4 cup of chicken broth.
• Stir cornstarch mixture into wok.
• Cook until sauce thickens.
• Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
• Toss freshly cooked pasta with sesame oil, serve meat mixture over top.
• Garnish with scallions, if desired.

SHANGHAI BEEF

Steps:

• Brown beef in hot oil in a skillet for about 5 minutes.
• Add water chestnuts, capsicum, scallions, salt and pepper.
• Cook 2 minutes longer.
• Mix broth, water, soy sauce and cornstarch; stir into beef mixture.
• Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil.
• Stir in rice.
• Continue cooking the dish until the rice is soft.
• Remove from heat.
• Let the dish stand 5 minutes.
• Serve with parsley as a garnish.

SHANGHAI FRIED NOODLES

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the noodles until al dente, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold running water and drain well. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the rice wine, hoisin, and cornstarch. Add the beef, toss to coat, and marinate for 15 minutes. In another bowl, combine the dark soy, soy sauce and sugar, and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Place a wok over a high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil, swirling to coat. When hot, add the garlic, ginger, and minced green onions, and cook, stirring quickly, for 10 seconds. Add the beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and return the wok to a high heat. Swirl the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil in the wok and once hot, add the noodles to the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the sliced green onions and jalapeno and sauce and toss all for 1 minute. Add the beef and stir to heat through. Serve immediately.