Sino Delicacy
八宝牛肉酱(Ba Bao Niu Rou Jiang - Eight Treasure Beef Sauce)

Ingredients

  • 牛肉 (Niu Rou) - Beef, 500g
  • 虾仁 (Xia Ren) - Shrimp, 200g
  • 笋子 (Sun Zi) - Bamboo shoots, 150g
  • 毛豆 (Mao Dou) - Edamame, 150g
  • 香菇 (Xiang Gu) - Shiitake mushrooms, 100g
  • 胡萝卜 (Hu Luo Bo) - Carrots, 100g
  • 青椒 (Qing Jiao) - Green bell pepper, 1 piece
  • 红椒 (Hong Jiao) - Red bell pepper, 1 piece
  • 大蒜 (Da Suan) - Garlic, 5 cloves
  • 姜 (Jiang) - Ginger, 1 inch piece
  • 酱油 (Jiang You) - Soy sauce, 3 tbsp
  • 老抽 (Lao Chōu) - Dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp
  • 料酒 (Liao Jiu) - Cooking wine, 2 tbsp
  • 糖 (Tang) - Sugar, 1 tbsp
  • 辣椒酱 (La Jiao Jiang) - Chili paste, 1 tbsp (adjust to taste)
  • 盐 (Yan) - Salt, to taste
  • 食用油 (Shi Yong You) - Cooking oil, 2 tbsp

Instructions

Preparation

  • Dice the beef into small cubes.
  • Peel and devein the shrimp.
  • Slice the bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms.
  • Dice the carrots and bell peppers.
  • Mince the garlic and ginger.

Cooking

  • Heat the cooking oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the minced garlic and ginger, saute until fragrant.
  • Add the diced beef and cook until browned on all sides.
  • Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink.
  • Add the bamboo shoots, edamame, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and bell peppers. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and chili paste. Stir well to combine.
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

Serving

  • Serve the 八宝牛肉酱 (Ba Bao Niu Rou Jiang) over steamed rice or noodles.
  • Alternatively, portion it into small containers and freeze for later use.

Difficulty

  • Difficulty: Medium (requires some preparation and patience for simmering)
  • Ingredient Availability: High (most ingredients are readily available in US supermarkets, though some may need to be sourced from Asian grocery stores)

Notes

  • This dish is versatile and can be used as a topping for rice, noodles, or even as a filling for buns.
  • The key to a good 八宝牛肉酱 (Ba Bao Niu Rou Jiang) is the slow simmering process, which allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
  • Adjust the level of spiciness by increasing or decreasing the amount of chili paste according to your preference.