Spicy Chinese Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Fakeaway Stir Fry

Chinese beef and shiitake mushroom stir fry is a quick and easy fakeaway recipe that is way quicker than your local delivery and just as tasty.

When I say quick, this stir-fry recipe takes around 10 minutes to prepare and about the same again to cook, which means dinner's ready in a real hurry!

Beef and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry

You can't amble far through my website without stumbling across a Chinese fakeaway recipe.

Spending 13 years living in the middle of nowhere gave me plenty of time to work on both my recipes and techniques.

I have everything from hot and sour soup, vegetarian mushroom chow mein recipe, quick kung po prawns, Shanghai chicken and Chinese chicken and mushrooms to Chinese spare ribs.

This beef and shiitake mushroom recipe is incredibly quick; you can take this from cupboard to table in 15 minutes if pushed. But take your time, and your dinner is served in just 20 minutes.

It is sweet, sour, salty and spicy; it features all the flavours you expect from a good fakeaway dinner.

It is also quicker, cheaper and tastes every bit as good as your local takeaway.

If you like beefy Chinese-style fakeaway recipes, check out my beef and broccoli stir fry, black pepper beef, beef in black bean sauce, Chinese beef curry and Szechuan beef recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef should I use?

As I mentioned in the recipe, I usually use sirloin or rump steak because I think they offer a nice balance of price, taste, and tenderness.

But you could use everything from fillet, the most expensive and least flavourful but most tender, to skirt or flank, the cheapest and least tender but most flavourful.

We do marinate the beef with cornflour and soy, which helps a little. But that is not enough to break down a tough cut of meat.

What does cutting "across the grain" mean?

Cutting the beef against or across the grain means that you cut perpendicular to the way that the muscle fibres run.

By doing this, you are shortening those fibres; as a result, the beef feels more tender!

Can I use other types of mushrooms?

Yes, absolutely, I've made this beef and mushroom stir fry with everything from king oyster mushrooms to portobello mushrooms and chestnut mushrooms to regular old button mushrooms.

They all work perfectly.

Why are you not using the stalks of the mushrooms?

The stalks of shiitake mushrooms can be tough and woody when they are quickly cooked. I will usually freeze them and throw them into soups or stews later.

Can I cook this in advance?

I honestly would not bother; this recipe cooks in just 10 minutes, which is not a great deal longer than it would take to reheat well.

You can do all of the preparation hours in advance, though.

Serving Suggestions

I've served this Chinese beef and shiitake mushroom stir fry with some plain steamed rice in these images, but there is a whole world of fakeaway sides that this works well with.

Sticking with rice, the obvious alternative is egg fried rice or special fried rice if you really want to push the boat out.

Noodles also make a great side to this dish, and a plain chow mein would probably be my first choice, but this cold soba noodle salad would be awesome too.

If you want to increase the veggies and add some greens, how about a simple asparagus stir fry or stir-fried broccoli?

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• Wok.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Mixing bowls.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• A combination of weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.