Authentic Thai at Home. Stir Fried Beef and Broccoli

Nothing fancy, this simple broccoli and meat stir fry is a typical part of a home cooked meal in Thailand, and something that can be prepared and cooked in a matter of minutes. Serve, as always in Thailand, over a nice plate of Jasmine rice.

This can be done with whatever protein you have handy, but beef and shrimp are probably the best, although pork could also be used. Chicken may be popular in North America, but you would rarely see poultry used in a stir fired dish of this sort (without chili) in Thailand. Vegetarians may obviously omit the meat.

Since this is a home cooking kind of meal (or street corner classic) all the quantities are approximations - and you should make sure to have a taste of the sauce while it's all in the pan so you can make adjustments as necessary.

Quick and Easy Stir Fried Broccoli and Meat

• 1 cup of meat, cut into ¼ inch cubes (Beef, shrimp or pork are best)
• 4 cups of Broccoli
• 2 cloves of garlic, smooshed
• 2 Tbls of vegetable oil
• 2 Tbls of oyster Sauce
• 1 Tbls of fish sauce
• 1tsp of soya sauce
• 2 tsp of sugar
• ½ tsp of msg (optional)

1. Heat the oil over medium high in a wok.
2. Smash the cloves of garlic, but do not chop. Throw them into the hot oil for a few seconds, or until fragrant and golden.
3. Toss in the meat, and stir fry until browned all over. Don't worry about having it cooked through at this stage, as it will cook with the broccoli for a while longer.
4. Immediately, toss in your cut up broccoli florets and toss em all about. Add in all the other stuff.
5. Fry for a couple of minutes. You can add a few spoonfuls of water or stock if things are looking dry, or if you like it all a bit saucy. It's done when the broccoli is as tender as you like. In Thailand, the florets are left fairly tender-crisp.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If it tastes a bit flat, add more fish sauce.

This is great with beef or shrimp and good with pork. (If you use shrimp, add in a few good grinds of black pepper as you fry it – delicious)

For a North American variation, you can also substitute a cup of button mushrooms for a cup of the broccoli.