As a Las Vegas restaurant that serves both Thai and Chinese food, some people mistakenly believe that the cooking techniques are similar, if not the same. But this isn't always true. To illustrate, Alan Wong, general manager of Kung Fu Plaza in Las Vegas, chose two recipes for beef & broccoli (one Thai and one Chinese) to illustrate how very different they can be.

While both recipes have some similar ingredients, not even the broccoli or meat is necessarily the same. And, in this case, even though Thai cuisine is generally more complex, this particular Thai dish (the second one) is simpler and more flavorful than the better known Chinese counterpart. The recipe follows, with some notes from Wong noted by an asterisk*.

Beef & Broccoli, Chinese

12 ounces rump steak (or filets for extra tender meat*)
1 tbsp cornflower
1 tsp sesame oil
12 ounces broccoli florets
4 spring onions (if they are small, add a bunch*)
1 carrot (cut into matchsticks, optional*)
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
2 tsp brown sugar

After the beef is trimmed and cut into stripe, stir fry in sesame oil over a high heat. Remove the beef and set aside. Add the broccoli, spring onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, and stock to the pan. Cover and simmer for three minutes. Return the beef to the pan. Then mix the soy sauce, sherry, and brown sugar together. Add and cook for another two to three minutes.

"Overall, this is a very straightforward recipe," said Wong. "You might notice how the Chinese attempt to balance the flavors with soy sauce (salt) and brown sugar (sweet). If it were me, I might follow the recipe, but add the garlic and ginger to the wok before the other ingredients so more of the flavor would spread evenly through the dish."

Beef With Broccoli, Thai

4 garlic cloves
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp fish sauce

8 ounces of tender beef (always the most tender beef*)
1 lb of Chinese broccoli (or brocollini, with a slight flavor change*)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup straw mushrooms
3 tbsp oyster sauce

Combine the marinade and then add the beef for about five minutes. Saute the beef until almost cooked and then add the other ingredients.

"This recipe is very simple, and very indicative of Thai cooking, which leans toward better cuts of meat and healthier greens," said Wong. "You can see how much care is given to the balance with the less salty fish sauce, which allows the dish to require less sugar than the Chinese version. This recipe also uses egg as a binding ingredient, which helps the flavors stick to the meat before it is fried. Oyster sauce contains its own blend of sugar, salt, and cornstarch."

Wong added that the Thai dish is also unique in that it creates a layer of flavors: the marinated beef versus the combined dish, which relies on the natural flavors of the raw ingredients and the oyster sauce. Overall, he said that the Thai dish has a much more dramatic flavor, even if it has a better balance. Some people add other vegetables too, such as peppers. Others sprinkle sesame seeds over the dish as a finishing touch.

"At our restaurant, we serve a Chinese recipe that is different from those included above. It is an older recipe that my ancestors brought to Thailand," said Wong. "However, there is no mistaking that there are some influences that were added by a few Thai generations. This includes a better cut of beef. We only serve Black Angus."

Kung Fu Plaza is the oldest and most authentic Thai food and Chinese food restaurant in Las Vegas. It is the authority on authentic Thai and Chinese cuisine, using its location in Las Vegas to introduce as many people as possible to new and timeless Asian cuisines.