Stir-fried Asparagus with Beef

Stir-fried asparagus with beef is a simple, nutritious and quick dish to make for busy weeknights. The combination of tender beef, crisp asparagus, and sweet carrot delivers a satisfying balance of flavors and textures.

This stir-fry uses just a handful of fresh, everyday ingredients: beef, asparagus, carrot, garlic and basic Asian seasonings like oyster sauce and fish sauce. To keep the beef juicy and tender, we will toss it with some cornstarch and a little water before cooking.

• 8 oz beef, thinly sliced against the grain (flank steak is great for stir-frying)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (plus more to adjust seasonings)
• black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1½ teaspoons cooking oil (plus more for cooking)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided
• 2 oz peeled and thinly sliced carrots
• 10.5-12 oz trimmed asparagus, cut on a diagonal into 2-inch long pieces
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ¼ teaspoon fish sauce