Minced Beef with Rice (窩蛋免治牛肉飯)

Name: Minced Beef with Rice (窩蛋免治牛肉飯)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 14 oz Thai jasmine rice; 14 oz water; 8 oz ground beef; 1 oz green onion white; 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 tablespoon cooking wine; 1.5 cups hot water; 2 oz green pea; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 0.5 teaspoons dark soy sauce; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 0.125 teaspoons white pepper; 2 tablespoons water; 1 tablespoon oil; 2 teaspoons oil; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce; 2 teaspoons cooking wine; 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder; 2.5 teaspoons potato starch; 4 teaspoons water

This classic Cantonese dish is a hearty and delicious all-in-one meal.

Prep Time

10 min

Total Time

30 min

Yields

4 servings

YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

Ground beef is a staple that many home cooks keep at home. When I asked my dad what he would do with it, he immediately thought of Minced Beef with Rice (窩蛋免治牛肉飯). This dish is fast and comforting (aka the perfect weeknight dinner). Next time you're looking to get a meal on the table quickly, try this Chinese ground beef recipe.

On minced beef with rice

Minced Beef with Rice is yet another classic Cantonese diner dish. Like Hong Kong Milk Tea and Macau-Style Egg Tarts, it came by way of the West. It's essentially a Chinese twist on traditional British beef mince served on rice. Like many home-cooked recipes, there are many variations. Some include more Western ingredients such as Worcestershire sauce or ketchup, while others — like Daddy Lau's — leans into Chinese pantry staples.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US

Volume: US

cup

Servings

Main Ingredients

14 oz Thai jasmine rice (
uncooked
)
14 oz water (
to cook rice
)
8 oz ground beef (
pre-ground or minced by the butcher
)
1 oz green onion white (
diced
)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil (
for stir frying
)
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1.5 cup hot water (
for stir frying
)
2 oz green pea
1 teaspoon sesame oil (
for finishing
)
0.50 teaspoon dark soy sauce (
for finishing
)

Beef Marinade Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
0.13 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil (
for finishing
)
2 teaspoon oil

Sauce Ingredients

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoon cooking wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

Slurry Ingredients

2.5 teaspoon potato starch
4 teaspoon water

On beef

When it comes to the beef used in this dish, my dad likes to pick a piece at the store, then ask the butcher to mince or grind it fresh. That's not always an option so pre-packaged ground beef works nicely, too. You can also grind or process the beef at home if you have the right tools.

When it comes to the percentage of beef to fat, my dad says it's up to the cook. If you prefer a richer minced beef, then opt for one with a lower beef-to-fat ratio. On the flip side, you can also use a leaner ground beef .

Wash the rice (14 oz) three times, gently swirling the grains around to remove any dust. Use fresh water with each round.

Add the rice and water (14 oz) to the inner rice cooker pot. Place the pot in the cooker, then activate it.

Add the ground beef (8 oz) to one side of a medium bowl.

Add the cornstarch (1 tablespoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), white pepper (0.13 teaspoon) and water (2 tablespoon) to the other side of the bowl. Mix together the seasonings first to create a marinade before combining it with the beef.

Once the marinade comes together, use a spoon to mix it into the beef until it's all incorporated.

Add the oil (2 teaspoon), then mix it into the beef.

(Chef's Tip: Adding oil to the beef here will prevent it from clumping later during cooking.)

Cut off the bottoms and dice just the white parts of the green onions (1 oz).

(Chef's Tip: Use the remaining green parts for other recipes such as our Ginger Scallion Sauce and Ginger Scallion Noodles!)

In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (1 tablespoon), dark soy sauce (1 teaspoon), cooking wine (2 teaspoon), and chicken bouillon powder (1 teaspoon). Mix until thoroughly combined

In a small bowl, combine the potato starch (2.5 teaspoon) and water (4 teaspoon) and mix to thoroughly combine.

Scoop the cooked rice onto a large rimmed plate, shaping it into a mound while still hot.

Wet the egg (1 large) with a bit of water and place it in the middle of the plated rice to make an indent.

Crack the egg into the indent.

Heat the wok on high for about 1 minute. Once the wok is smoking, decrease the heat and add the oil (1 tablespoon), spreading it all over sides of wok with a spatula.

Decrease the heat to low and add the beef. Break it apart with the spatula and flip, about 1 to 1.5 minutes.

Add the diced green onions and stir fry with the beef for about 1 minute. Make sure to continue breaking up the beef, if needed.

Pour the cooking wine (1 tablespoon) around the edge of the wok and stir fry about 10 to 20 seconds.

Add the hot water (1.5 cup), slowly pouring it along the edge of the wok. Add the sauce, followed by the green peas (2 oz).

Turn the heat back on to high and cook for 30 to 40 seconds.

Lower the heat to medium and pour in the slurry while mixing the sauce (add less or more slurry to get desired consistency).

Add the finishing oil (1 tablespoon) and sesame oil (1 teaspoon). With the heat back on high, stir fry to mix everything thoroughly for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the finishing dark soy sauce (0.50 teaspoon) for additional color.

Use a ladle to add the minced beef on top of the plated rice, leaving the egg in the center uncovered.

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FAQ

Can I use meat other than ground beef?

If you don't have ground beef or prefer to use another meat, the same technique still works (although the flavor will differ!). You can use ground pork or even turkey as a leaner, healthier alternative.

How do you cook ground beef so it's not tough?

My dad seals in the meat by adding oil to the beef before cooking. This helps keep the juices — and the marinade — inside during stir frying. Overcooking will also make ground beef tough.

Summary

Print Recipe

Made With Lau

madewithlau.com/recipes/minced-beef-with-rice

Minced Beef with Rice (窩蛋免治牛肉飯)

This classic Cantonese dish is a hearty and delicious all-in-one meal.

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

14 oz Thai jasmine rice (
uncooked
)
14 oz water (
to cook rice
)
8 oz ground beef (
pre-ground or minced by the butcher
)
1 oz green onion white (
diced
)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon oil (
for stir frying
)
1 tablespoon cooking wine
1.5 cup hot water (
for stir frying
)
2 oz green pea
1 teaspoon sesame oil (
for finishing
)
0.50 teaspoon dark soy sauce (
for finishing
)

Beef Marinade Ingredients

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
0.13 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil (
for finishing
)
2 teaspoon oil

Sauce Ingredients

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoon cooking wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

Slurry Ingredients

2.5 teaspoon potato starch
4 teaspoon water

Step 1 - Wash and cook rice

↑ Jump to details

Wash the rice (14 oz) three times, gently swirling the grains around to remove any dust. Use fresh water with each round.

Add the rice and water (14 oz) to the inner rice cooker pot. Place the pot in the cooker, then activate it.

Step 2 - Marinade beef

↑ Jump to details

Add the ground beef (8 oz) to one side of a medium bowl.

Once the marinade comes together, use a spoon to mix it into the beef until it's all incorporated.

Add the oil (2 teaspoon), then mix it into the beef.

(Chef's Tip: Adding oil to the beef here will prevent it from clumping later during cooking.)

Step 3 - Dice green onions

↑ Jump to details

Cut off the bottoms and dice just the white parts of the green onions (1 oz).

(Chef's Tip: Use the remaining green parts for other recipes such as our Ginger Scallion Sauce and Ginger Scallion Noodles!)

Step 4 - Prep sauce

↑ Jump to details

Step 5 - Prep slurry

↑ Jump to details

In a small bowl, combine the potato starch (2.5 teaspoon) and water (4 teaspoon) and mix to thoroughly combine.

Step 6 - Plate rice and add egg

↑ Jump to details

Scoop the cooked rice onto a large rimmed plate, shaping it into a mound while still hot.

Wet the egg (1 large) with a bit of water and place it in the middle of the plated rice to make an indent.

Crack the egg into the indent.

Step 7 - Cook beef