West Lake Beef Soup is a traditional dish.
It combines beef with some vegetables and eggs.This is a nutritious and refreshing dish. The preparation methods vary, as some use braised beef while others blanch the beef cubes and mushrooms first.
The choice of beef and mushrooms can be adjusted according to individual needs. I used tenderloin beef for this dish, removing the tendons, marinating it carefully until smooth, ensuring a tender texture. Adding carrots, cucumbers, and lotus root makes the soup more nutritious and colorful.
Using whole eggs instead of egg whites ensures better nutrition. Beef is high in protein and low in fat, with an amino acid composition close to human needs. West Lake Beef Soup
is a dish I prepared using these ingredients. I used imported beef for this soup.
Prepare all the required ingredients. Place the beef in clean water with some cooking wine and let it soak for two hours.
This method removes blood impurities without losing much nutrition by blanching. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces. Carrots and cucumbers should be cut into small pieces using a knife, not a peeler to avoid excess water and loss of nutrients affecting taste.
Slice ginger, garlic, and green onions. Use beef from the tendons, finely chopped. Marinate the beef with soy sauce, black pepper, and water starch, then add egg whites and sesame oil, mixing well. This step is crucial for a tender texture.
I used whole eggs; traditionally, only the egg whites are used in West Lake Beef Soup. Heat a pan, add oil until it's 70% hot, and quickly sauté the ginger, garlic, and green onions.
Cook the beef cubes quickly until they change color but do not overcook to maintain texture. Add mushroom pieces and cook them until tender. Season with salt and a little soy sauce. Pour in enough boiling water, then add carrot and cucumber pieces and cook for one minute.
Slowly pour the egg mixture while gently stirring.
Mix in water starch continuously to thicken the soup.
The dish is ready when cooked.
Additional tips: Consider adding tofu if available; it enhances nutrition and flavor. A segment of egg
Seasonings: fresh
ginger A piece of garlic, a few green onions ( )
dark soy sauce an appropriate amount of sesame oil ( ) cooking wine ( ) salt ( ) oil ( ) black
pepper powder a little water starch ( )
Cooking utensils: wok
The method for West Lake beef soup:
1. Using new farm imported Australian beef
2. Prepare the ingredients
3. Place the beef in clear water, add an appropriate amount of cooking wine, and soak for two hours. I did not blanch the beef but used soaking to remove blood.
and impurities. Not blanching is to reduce nutrient loss. 4. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces
5. Cucumber and carrot cut into small pieces, it's recommended to use a knife rather than a grater because using a grater can lead to more water release, reducing nutrients and affecting taste.
6. Ginger, garlic, and green onions cut into mince, separate the white part from the green part
7. Cut beef into small pieces; I used tendon meat which was minced finely. If using sirloin, cut it in a small piece form is better. Tendons should be removed as they affect taste.
8. Add an appropriate amount of dark soy sauce and black pepper powder to the beef, mix well. Then add egg whites and sesame oil, fully mixing until smooth. This step is crucial; mixing thoroughly makes the meat tender when stir-fried; otherwise, it will be tough and affect the texture. Adding a little baking soda can make the meat more tender, but I did not use it because of health concerns.
9. Beat the egg well; I used whole eggs. Traditional West Lake beef soup uses only egg whites; you may choose based on your preference.
10. Heat the wok with an appropriate amount of oil until 70% hot, then add ginger, garlic, and green onion mince to quickly stir-fry. 11. Add the beef and stir-fry over high heat until it changes color; do not cook for too long as overcooking can toughen the meat affecting its texture.
12. Stir in the mushroom pieces until cooked, then add an appropriate amount of salt and a little dark soy sauce and mix well.
13. Add an appropriate amount of boiling water to bring it back to a boil; always use boiling water for better texture and nutrient preservation while stir-frying beef.
14. Add the carrot pieces and cucumber pieces, cook for one minute.
15. Pour in the egg liquid, stirring gently as you pour.
16. Add water starch, stirring continuously until mixed well.
17. Remove from heat
Tips:
One, add an appropriate amount of tofu after lightly boiling it and mixing with cucumber pieces.
Two, pay attention to details when cooking; carefully follow each step's instructions.
A tip:
First, you can add some tofu if desired. Boil the tofu for a moment before adding it along with the cucumber cubes;Second, pay close attention to each step when preparing a dish; details are crucial.
