Chinese Beef in Looing Sauce

Dive into the rich, aromatic flavors of Chinese Beef in Looing Sauce, a comforting braised dish that brings together tender beef strips simmered in a savory blend of soy sauce, rice wine, and warm spices like star anise and cinnamon. This recipe highlights traditional Chinese cooking techniques, including slow simmering to infuse the beef with bold, complex flavors, and finishing with a velvety cornstarch-thickened sauce. Perfect for pairing with steamed rice or noodles, this dish strikes the ideal balance between sweet, salty, and umami. Ready in just over an hour, it’s an irresistible, restaurant-quality meal you can make at home.

Nutriscore Rating: 66/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:75 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 500 grams beef (sirloin or flank steak)
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 500 milliliters water
• 2 tablespoons rice wine or Shaoxing wine
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 pieces star anise
• 2 pieces bay leaves
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 1 inch ginger (sliced)
• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 2 stalks scallions (green onions)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Step 1

Slice the beef into thin strips against the grain for tenderness.

Step 2

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil.

Step 3

Sear the beef strips in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

Step 4

In the same wok, add garlic, ginger, and scallions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 5

Add the water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the wok. Stir to combine.

Step 6

Return the seared beef to the wok and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Step 7

Cover the wok and let the beef cook in the sauce for 40-50 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Step 8

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a slurry.

Step 9

Once the beef is tender, add the cornstarch slurry to the wok and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 10

Remove the star anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick before serving.

Step 11

Garnish with additional sliced scallions, if desired, and serve hot with steamed rice or noodles.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1262.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1742.5

Total Fat 103.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 33.9g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 16.9g
Cholesterol 375mg	0%
Sodium 4793.5mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 45.7g	0%
Dietary Fiber 4.2g	0%
Total Sugars 18.4g
Protein 141.2g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 246.9mg	0%
Iron 19.0mg	0%
Potassium 2469.9mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 55.4%

Protein: 33.7%

Carbs: 10.9%