BETTER THAN TAKEOUT - Beef in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

This is super popular in the south of China. You will find it in school canteens, takeout restaurants, regular family dinner tables, or at tea house dim sum places. I grew up with it and am excited to share it with you.

INGREDIENTS
For the beef marinade:
1 lb 454 grams of beef slice, I am using top sirloin fillet.
1/2 tsp of salt or to taste

For the sauce:
3/4 cup of beef stock

Others:
2.5 tbsp of vegetable oil to stir fry the beef
2 cloves of garlic sliced
1/2 inch of ginger sliced thinly
2 bitter melons about 300 grams
1 tsp of salt to rub the bitter melon

INSTRUCTIONS
Cut 1 lb of beef across the muscle grains into 1/5 of inch slices.

Marinate the beef with 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/3 tsp of baking soda, 1 tsp of cornstarch, 1/2 tbsp of Chinese cooking wine, 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce. Mix well then coat the beef with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Let it sit for 15 minutes

Quarter the bitter melon. Remove the white spongy part by using a knife then scrape it completely with a rounded teaspoon.

Cut the bitter melon with a 45-degree angle into 1/2 of an inch thick slices. Season it with 1 tsp of salt. Rub for a minute or 2. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Squeeze out as much moisture out of the bitter melon. Discard the liquid. as you can. Rinse the bitter melon with cold running water several times to wash off the salt. Drain thoroughly. Set it aside.

Slice 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 inch of ginger thinly. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the follow ingredients: 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp of oyster sauce, 2 tbsp of black bean sauce, 2 tsp of cornstarch, and 3/4 cup of beef stock. Mix well and set it aside.

Turn the heat to high and heat the wok until it is smoking hot. Add 2-3 tbsp of cooking oil. Loosen up the beef before adding it to the wok so they don’t tangle together. The wok is super-hot. You only need to stir this for a minute or two. Once most of the beef has changed color, turn off the heat. Take the beef out. Be sure to tilt the wok so you can leave the oil in there.

Turn the heat back on medium. Toss in the garlic, ginger, and bitter melon. Stir this for a few minutes or until the bitter melon is a bit soft. Pour in the sauce and introduce the beef back into the wok. Keep mixing for a minute or 2.

Serve with white rice.

[phatsmurf]

Bitter melon, my favorite💚 The more bitter, the more I love it. I make bitter melon pork belly with black beans all the time.

[benjwilliams]

Even though I'm vegetarian, I still watch your meat videos because you explain the purpose for each step, so I still learn Chinese cooking techniques and why to use them, and I can apply that to my cooking! Thank you, as always, for a wonderful video!

[SLNTGMR]

Hi... really like how you show us how to cook your favs... so they can become OUR favs...

THANKS...

[jamesgoacher]

I have only ever eaten (something like) this as a "Ready Meal" and it was good. On the general assumtion that home cooked would be better I have wanted to do this myself. This is an inspiration. Thank you.

[jmain]

I LOVE MY NEW I have purchased 3 in the last 10 years, yours is the best!!!

[LaowaiNZ]

I have just cooked this tonight, great taste, my wife said 10/10, I couldn’t find bitter melon here ( NZ it’s out of season ), so used some bell peppers 🫑, , excellent recipe Mandy, easy, fast, 😋

[NellaLongo]

Made this recipe today with shishito peppers from the garden. Incredible flavors. Everyone enjoyed it. Thank you.

[josephlai]

You are a fantastic. Always a joy to watch you cook and never miss the index finger moment as you would raise it from time to time. It brings me a smile each time.

[len]

I love the way she explains everything so methodically

[newmoon]

Really enjoyed watching your cooking/recipes program!!! I am a SUPER FAN OF CHINESE FOOD!!!! Also, my fiance' is native Chinese, from Nanning city, Guangxi province and she can really make some super-delicious authentic Chinese meals!!!
One simple meal that I go crazy for is ~Congee~ (rice porroidge!) WOWOW!!! Yan Xia makes congee with chicken, shrimp, pork and beef! I love them all equally!!!! Thanks for a wonderful cooking show Mandy!!!

[NellaLongo]

Made this recipe today with Japanese peppers from the garden. Incredible flavors everyone enjoyed it. Thank you.

[adbreon]

I’ve always used bitter melon as a reason to make champuru. Now I’ll have something new to try when it pops up at the market.

[joethesimple]

Watching from the Philippines. I love Chinese foods. And I also love that dish. 🇵🇭😊❤

[barryfields]

I actually preordered your wok, and I love it I use it all the time!

[trevorgoodall]

Real nice sweet and sour pork
Real nice tasty beef curry with cashews and vegetables
Real nice chicken and vegetables dish .
Thank you

[MrMarkgolding]

You have such a smile in your voice. It's lovely. Excellent recipe too. Thank you.

[jasmineb]

Stir fry beef in black bean sauce now this is something I will try, thx Mandy this looks delish.

[mayanferdinand]

Omg! I am so glad that this video came to me after I have finished eating my dinner 😀😀😃🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I would have been looking at the video with my mouth drooling 😀 This is by far one of my favourite Chinese dishes 🙌 the bitter melon brings out a certain kind of balance to the entire dish😋… You are really a class act chef🙌🥂🥂💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[teodoramendoza]

Loved the way you cook. Am not a good cook but with your method, I find not only will cook good meal but enjoy it too. More videos please.

[turtlehead]

I love this tiny woman. Everything she cooks seems so simple.
I made her sweet and sour pork. It was delicious