Who would think of stir-frying collard greens but an Asian person living in the American South?! The collards are a terrific stand-in for gailan (Chinese broccoli) but what's great about collards is that their hearty flavor and texture allows for a bold stir-fry marinade and sauce. This stir-fry, originally from chef Ron Hsu's excellent book, Down South + East, serves as an excellent template for showcasing collard greens in Asian-style stir-fries.
The greens are cooked to a crisp very quickly and you may be skeptical as to how that happens successfully. I was too. But the key lies in how Ron cuts the beef and collards to match in size more or less. He also marinates the beef in an aggressive mixture of seasonings to amp up the beefy flavor to stand up to that of the collards. Just like with his chicken and rice casserole, which I've made here (original) and here (Ninja Combi oven), his seasonings are well balanced and bold.
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Building flavor notes for collards
You'll see a hefty amount of cumin in the beef marinade. Then there's lots of garlic and ginger. If fermented black beans are handy, use them too. I didn't because I wanted the spices and aromatics to pop more. The beef needs all of that to match the flavor and texture of the collards. Don't be put off. Go for it. You can tweak this recipe too by adding veggies. There's plenty of fire from black pepper so there's no need for chile heat, unless you want it!
Meaty tips
Many people stir-fry with beef flank but I prefer top sirloin cap (picanha) or flap (bavette). The cap works well here because it's easy to cut as thickish square pieces for this stir-fry. The velveting marinade has baking soda to tenderize the beef. Everything will seem dry when you mix them together. However, once cooked, the beef does not dry out and in fact, cooks up like tiny little steaks. Remember to use your hands to massage the seasonings into the beef. That ensures every piece is well coated.
Collard greens pointers
Most people are used to cooking collard greens for a long time until they are super tender. Here, the hearty leafy green is cooked to a crisp brightness. But you don't want to be chewing too much on their earthy flavor. What is the work around?
- Choose tender young collard greens whose leafy parts feel soft and pliable. Typically, the leafy part is about a handspan long and wide. Anything too much bigger is mature and tough.
- Smartly prep collards so they stir-fry up quickly. To cut the collards for stir-frying, (1) first trim off the center rib that extends beyond the leafy part. Then (2) split the leaf right down the middle to halve the tough center rib. This ensures that you don't have too much toughness in certain pieces. Splitting the leaf is key.
- Cut the leaf into strips about 1 to 1 ¼ inches (2.5 to 3cm) wide. Then stack them in piles and cut crosswise into squarish shapes. Put all the collards into a bowl or onto your serving plate so you can dump them into the pan at the right moment.
Ideas to play with
Play around by adding extra vegetables to this stir-fry. You'll add flavor, texture and color, depending on what veggie you choose. For instance, I added asparagus cut as 1 ½ inches long (3.75cm) pieces. Or, opt for thinly sliced carrot cut on the diagonal about ⅛ inch (3mm) thick. Fresh mushrooms (any kind) that are sliced or torn as bite-size pieces would work too. Sliced mini sweet pepper will impart vibrant color. Add only 1 handful along with the collards to the pan. If you use more, you'll throw off the flavor balance of the stir-fry.
Stir-Fried Beef and Collard Greens
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 8 ounces | 225 g sirloin cap or flank steak, sliced as 1-inch squarish pieces, each about ¼ inch thick
For the sauce
- 3 tablespoons | 45ml chicken broth, bouillon, or stock
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (see Note)
To stir-fry
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon mince, peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans, rinsed under warm water for 10 seconds (optional)
- ½ cup | 60 g sliced red or yellow onion
- 8 ounces | 225g collard greens, leafy parts cut as 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces (see main post for tips)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef: In a medium bowl, stir together the black pepper, cumin, sugar, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, canola oil, and soy sauce. Add the beef steak, mix well to coat all over, and let the beef marinate and velvet for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours (cover and refrigerate if marinating over 1hour).
- Make the sauce: Combine the broth, cornstarch, rice, vinegar, sesame, oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and Xiaoqing in a small bowl. Stir well then set aside.
- Cook the stir-fry: Set a large skillet or walk over medium high heat, and when hot, swirl in the 2 tablespoons oil. When it begins to smoke, add the beef, spreading it out as one layer and let sear for 30 to 45 seconds, before flipping and stir-frying until seared and dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Return the pan to medium-high heat. When it is smoking again, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry constantly to infuse them into the oil until they are lightly brown, about 10 seconds, taking care to not burn them. Add the fermented black beans (if using) to the pan and stir-fry for about another 5 seconds, until aromatic. Add the onions and cook for another 30 seconds, or until beginning to soften, then return the beef to the pan, stirring often to heat through, 30 seconds.
- Add the collard greens, swiftly stir-fry until hot and glistening, 1 minute. Stir the sauce and pour into the pan; bring the sauce up to a simmer and cook until thickened, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat. Taste and adjust flavor using with salt and black pepper, then serve immediately.
Notes
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