Beef San Choy Bow

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Beef San Choy Bow

What is san choy bow?

San choy bow is a Cantonese classic, and the whole thing is built on contrast. You’ve got hot, savoury mince cooked fast in a wok, and cold, crispy lettuce cups to spoon it into at the table. It’s fast, it’s fresh, and it’s a really fun one to eat with your hands. I’m using beef mince here, but pork or chicken thigh mince both work just as well. I go with mince that’s got a bit of fat on it because the fat renders out into the wok, picks up some char, and carries all that flavour into the filling.

Great weeknight recipe

This is a weeknight recipe in my house. Once everything’s chopped and prepped, the actual cooking only takes about 10 minutes, so the real work is in the prep. Dice your shiitake and water chestnuts to roughly the same size as the mince so it all cooks evenly, separate the whites and greens of the spring onion, and mix up your cornflour slurry before the wok goes on. When the beef hits the pan, leave it alone for a couple of minutes to get a proper crust on one side. That’s the Maillard reaction doing its thing, and it’s where all the flavour comes from. Then toss it through with the aromatics, add the sauce, and you’re done.

Ingredients

1kg (2.2 lbs) beef mince
10 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water
200g (7 oz) water chestnuts, diced
1 red chilli
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 spring onions, sliced thin, whites and greens separated
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
1 tbsp cornflour
peanut oil for cooking
salt and white pepper, to taste
1 tsp msg (optional)
baby gem or iceberg lettuce, for serving

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Small bowl (for soaking the shiitake mushrooms)
Small bowl (for the cornflour slurry)
Measuring spoons
Wok or large heavy-based frying pan
Wok spatula or wooden spoon
Tongs
Serving platter

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Directions

Begin by soaking the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes. After soaking, remove them from the water, dice them, and reserve the liquid they were soaking in.
Before starting to cook, gather all your ingredients and ensure everything is prepared and ready to go.
Heat a wok over high heat and add some peanut oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef mince. Flatten it out, but try not to move it for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, white parts of the spring onions, chilli, a pinch of salt, and white pepper on top of the beef.
After 1-2 minutes, start to toss the mixture, then add the mushrooms and water chestnuts.
Stir in all the black pepper, soy sauces, oyster sauce, and about 30ml (1.5 tbsp) of the reserved mushroom stock. Mix well. Then, dissolve the cornflour in 1 tablespoon of water and stir it into the mixture. Add the MSG (optional). Cook until everything is well combined and the sauce thickens slightly.
Serve the mixture next to large leaves of baby gem or iceberg lettuce. Garnish with the green parts of the spring onions on the beef. Enjoy!

Notes

Get the wok really hot before the oil goes in

Heat the dry wok until it’s just starting to smoke, then add the oil and swirl it around the sides. If you put cold oil into a cold wok and heat them up together, you end up steaming everything instead of searing it.

Leave the mince alone at the start

When you first add the beef, spread it across the wok in a flat layer and don’t touch it for 2 to 3 minutes. You’re trying to get a deep brown crust on one side. That’s the Maillard reaction, and it’s where all the savoury flavour comes from. Once you see the edges starting to brown, break it up and toss it through with the aromatics.

Storage

The cooked filling keeps for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, toss it back into a hot wok or pan over medium-high heat until it’s steaming, adding a splash of water or leftover mushroom stock if it looks dry. I wouldn’t freeze it though, the water chestnuts lose their crunch once they’ve been thawed. If you’re prepping ahead, keep the lettuce cups separate in an airtight container with a damp paper towel, and only fill them when you’re ready to serve.

Ingredient Notes

Beef mince:

I use regular beef mince with a bit of fat on it (around 15 to 20 percent) because the fat renders out and seasons the whole dish. If you use super lean mince, you lose that flavour and the filling ends up dry. Pork mince or chicken thigh mince both work really well too. I’d steer clear of chicken breast mince though, it’s just too lean.

Dried shiitake mushrooms:

I like to use dried shiitake for this one, They’ve got a much deeper, more savoury flavour than fresh shiitake because drying them concentrates all that natural umami, and the soaking liquid doubles as a free stock for the sauce. Just soak them in warm water (not boiling) for 20 minutes until they’re soft, then dice them up the same size as the mince. You can swap it out for fresh shiitake or another type of mushroom.

Water chestnuts:

Water chestnuts are what makes a san choy bow a san choy bow. They stay crunchy even after the sauce goes on, so the filling has a texture that matches the crispy lettuce. Tinned is totally fine, that’s what I use at home. Just drain and rinse them before dicing. If you can’t find them, tinned bamboo shoots or finely diced jicama will do the job.

FAQs

Can I make san choy bow with pork or chicken instead of beef?

Yes, both work really well. Pork mince is the most traditional option and has a great balance of fat and flavour. Chicken thigh mince is a good choice if you want something lighter. Just avoid chicken breast mince, it’s too lean and the filling will end up dry. Cook time stays the same.

What’s the best lettuce to use?

You want something with a firm, cupped leaf and a loud crunch. Iceberg is my go-to, the outer leaves peel off into natural cups that hold the filling well. Baby gem works nicely too, and butter lettuce is a softer option if that’s what you’ve got. Steer clear of anything with floppy leaves like cos or mixed salad greens. For 6 people, I’d grab 2 heads of iceberg or 4 heads of baby gem.

Is san choy bow gluten-free?

Not as written, the soy sauce and oyster sauce both usually contain wheat. To make it gluten-free, swap the soy sauces for tamari and grab a certified gluten-free oyster sauce. The cornflour in this recipe is Australian cornflour (what Americans call cornstarch), which is naturally gluten-free.

What do I serve it with?

If you want to turn it into a bigger meal, steamed jasmine rice or rice noodles on the side both work well. Any leftover filling also makes a great topping for fried rice the next day.