Vietnamese Stir-fried Beef with Tonkin Flowers

a plate of Vietnamese stir-fried beef and tonkin flowers (thit bo xao hoa thien ly) with a bowl of rice.

5 from 1 vote

Vietnamese Stir-fried Beef with Tonkin Flowers

Stir-fried beef with Tonkin flowers is a distinctive and savory dish in Vietnamese cuisine. This quick and easy dish features tender beef slices tossed with the unique edible flowers of Indo-China.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: beef and tonkin flowers, easy, quick, Vietnamese beef stir-fry

Servings: people

Calories: 446kcal

Author: Sophie

Ingredients

10 oz beef, thinly sliced against the grain
1 tablespoon minced garlic, divided
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (plus more for serving)
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons cooking oil (plus more for stir-frying)
8 oz Tonkin flowers
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce (or soy sauce)

US Customary - Grams

Instructions

Place beef in a mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, cornstarch and water. Toss to combine, then mix in 1½ teaspoons cooking oil. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
Place a large pot filled with water over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, and then add the Tonkin flowers. Blanch the flowers for a minute or slightly more. Remove them from the pot and give them a rinse under cold water. Set aside to drain.
Place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add cooking oil to coat the bottom. Add the beef in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed briefly for about 20-30 seconds. Then add the oyster sauce, and stir-fry for a few more seconds and transfer to a plate while the beef is still slightly pink.
Add more cooking oil to the pan if needed. Adjust the heat to medium and add the remaining garlic. Sauté briefly until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the blanched Tonkin flowers. Stir and toss to cook for about 1-2 minutes until the doneness is almost to your liking. Season with ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Return the beef to the pan. Stir and toss until both the beef and flowers are cooked through. Add the fish sauce (or soy sauce) and give everything a final stir. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with more black pepper before serving.

Notes

Unless you have a wok and a high-powered stove like in commercial kitchens, I recommend not skipping Step 2 (blanching the flowers). If we don't blanch them, it will take longer to stir-frying them, making them lose the vibrant green color.

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