Hong Kong Cafe Style Beef and Eggs (20 Minutes)
Beef and Eggs is one of the most underrated combos, a simple yet delicious dish that takes less than 20 minutes to make at home. Beef and Eggs are packed with so much protein, a perfect dish for any time of the day. Today we are making HK-inspired Beef and Eggs on rice, one of my go-to orders whenever I go to Cha chaan teng (茶餐廳; HK Cafes).
This delightful combination of succulent, tender beef and silky eggs comes together in a symphony of flavors. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a culinary enthusiast, this recipe will guide you through the steps to create one of my favorite dishes, Beef and Eggs.
Hong Kong Cafe Style Beef and Egg Ingredients
BEEF
- 500 g Beef thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp Oil optional
EGG MIXTURE
- 3 eggs large
- 1 green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons water
- Salt and pepper
Beef and Eggs: High Protein Powerhouse
Beyond their delicious taste, beef, and eggs are packed with so much protein and nutritional benefits.
Beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein, essential for supporting muscle growth, and maintaining a healthy immune system. Eggs, often regarded as nature’s perfect food, are nutritional powerhouses. They are a complete protein source, containing all the essential amino acids needed for our body’s functions.
When combined, beef and eggs create a powerhouse of nutrients, making this duo not only delicious but also highly beneficial for our overall health and well-being. Enjoy beef and eggs on top of rice for lunch and dinner, or pair it with toast for breakfast.
Tips For Extra Tender Beef
What makes Beef and Eggs so special is how TENDER the beef is. You can use beef flank, new york, sirloin, or any beef you prefer. Here are a few secrets to SUPER TENDER Beef every single time!
- The first one is baking soda. I got this secret from a good friend who works at a Chinese restaurant; it is honestly a game-changer. No more eating tough beef at home, and hello to juicy, tender, silky beef!
- The second tip is cutting against the grain and diagonally. Always cut against the grain and sideways to get thin slices. With this tip, it doesn’t matter what type of steak you get; it will turn out perfect every time!
- The final tip is to freeze the beef for 30 minutes before slicing it. This step will make it 100x easier to cut the meat.
Extra Silky Egg Mix
To make the eggs extra silky for beef and eggs, I am adding cornstarch and water to the mix.
Cornstarch and water will help give the egg a “runny” yet “silky” texture. Traditionally, a more “gravy-like” texture is achieved. Still, I prefer more silk versus a “sliding” texture, so I choose to scramble it inside the egg instead of making gravy.
If you want to learn how to make a “silky” texture, check out my Soft Tofu with Silky Egg Sauce, and swap the tofu with beef instead.
How To Make Beef and Eggs
- Marinate beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, baking soda, and oil for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of cold water, and mix well.
- Combine eggs, green onion, salt and pepper, and the cornstarch mixture, mix well.
- In a pan, drizzle in oil, and turn the heat to medium. Once the pan is hot, add in the marinated beef, and let it set for 30 seconds before sauting the beef for around 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the egg mixture again to ensure the cornstarch is combined, drizzle in the eggs, and let it cook undisturbed for about 20 seconds, then gently stir it.
- Scramble gently for 1-2 minutes or until your desired doneness and enjoy!
More of my Go-To Easy 20 Minute Recipes
The Perfect Pairing: Beef and Eggs
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
BEEF
- 500 g Beef thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp Oil optional
EGG MIXTURE
- 3 eggs large
- 1 green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Marinate beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, baking soda, and oil for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of cold water, and mix well.
- Combine eggs, green onion, salt and pepper, and the corn starch mixture, mix well.
- In a pan, drizzle in oil, and turn the heat to medium. Once the pan is hot, add in the marinated beef, and let it set for 30 seconds before sauting the beef for around 3-4 minutes.
- Mix the egg mixture again to ensure the cornstarch is combined, drizzle in the eggs, and let it cook undisturbed for about 20 seconds, then gently stir it.
- Scramble gently for 1-2 minutes or until your desired doneness and enjoy!
What cut of beef do you recommend??
Was just wondering what to make for lunch with some beef slices I had left from another dish. This really hit the spot and the fams loved it with some kimchi! 🙂 Thank you for your easy and delicious recipes!
What kind of beef do you use?
So tasty!! Quick and easy with simple store cupboard ingredients. I love this thank you ☺️
All ingredients look amazing. I don’t have strip beef at home but I have ground beef and I really think this will work and come out amazing. This will be dinner tomorrow.
I think you are so much fun & inspiring!
Thank you!
This was ok. But something was missing. I am thinking maybe some sugar or honey. But was still really good and we all ate it.
What kind of beef you used for this recipe?
Can I marinate my meat with baking soda then wash it followed by marinate (if needed for the recipe)? I’m very sensitive to baking soda.
Hi Tiffy! What cut of beef do you recommend?
I often use angus steak!
Omg! Using the baking soda in the beef made the meat so darn tender, and the cornstarch in the eggs so creamy. Wow! We felt like we were at a restaurant! We served ours over greens and this is a KEEPER! Thank you for such an easy yet amazing recipe!
Mine did NOT come out as yours did— my eggs looked curdled. Any suggestions?
Hi Lupe, thanks for trying this recipe! Your eggs MAY be cooking too fast, so try lowering the heat a little and make sure to mix the egg and cornstarch mixture well (but not too much!) before pouring it into the pan. Let me know if that works!
This was so simple yet so delicious! Ive been looking for different recipes to try and this was a hit.
Loved this dish! We used 250g of beef and 2 eggs and adjusted measurements. It was plenty of food for two of us.
I don’t often review recipes, but considering we love it so much, I thought I’d better give make the effort. We have seriously made this recipe 20 times in the last few months. I’d say it’s the best taste to effort ratio from any recipe I’ve ever made. If you’re thinking of trying this, do yourself a favour and make it.
Made this tonight. YUUUUUUUUUMMMMMM!
Steamed some broccolini & added it to the final scrambled mix. Mouth watering as I’m thinking about it now …