View the print-ready version of this recipe on Once Upon a Chef.
Mongolian beef is a popular Chinese-American restaurant dish that consists of tender, crispy beef in a savory-sweet brown sauce. This version comes from The Woks of Life, written by Bill, Judy, Kaitlin, and Sarah Leung, the family behind the popular Woks of Life blog. I’m a big fan of the cookbook and the blog, both of which are excellent resources for anyone interested in learning more about Chinese cooking. To prepare the dish, thinly sliced flank steak is first “velveted” or tenderized by marinating it in a mixture that includes baking soda, before being coated in cornstarch. The beef is then shallow-fried in a wok or skillet until crispy, and tossed in a flavorful brown sauce made with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Served over steamed rice, the dish is a huge family-pleaser and every bit as good as the Mongolian beef served at your favorite Chinese restaurant.
Note that many of the ingredients are repeated throughout the recipe, so the ingredient list is not quite as long as it looks!
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Slice the flank steak against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)In a medium bowl, combine the Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Add the beef and stir until evenly coated.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)In a small bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water. Mix in the regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Slice the scallions and mince the garlic and ginger.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)In a medium bowl, dredge the marinated beef slices in the ½ cup cornstarch until thoroughly coated.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until just before the oil starts to smoke. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, spread the beef slices evenly in the wok or skillet and shallow-fry them undisturbed for 1 minute on each side to achieve a crusty coating. Transfer the beef to a plate and turn off the heat.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Drain most of the oil from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon. Wipe the pan with a paper towel, then add the reserved tablespoon of oil. Over medium-high heat, add the ginger and whole dried chilies (if using).
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)After 15 seconds, add the garlic and the scallion whites. Stir-fry for another 15 seconds.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Add the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Combine the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry, then slowly stir it into the pan.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Add the beef and the green parts of the scallions.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Toss everything together for 30 seconds, until the scallions are wilted and there is almost no standing sauce. Serve.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Segal)Adapted with permission from The Woks of Life by Bill, Kaitlin, Judy, and Sarah Leung, copyright 2022. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate
Ingredients
For Marinating the Beef
For the Sauce
For Coating And Searing The Beef
For The Rest Of The Dish
Instructions
Marinate The Beef
In a medium bowl, combine the beef with the oil, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), regular soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda. Marinate for 1 hour.
Make The Sauce
In a small bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water. Mix in the regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
Coat And Sear The Beef
In a medium bowl, dredge the marinated beef slices in the ½ cup cornstarch until thoroughly coated.
Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until just before it starts to smoke. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, spread the beef slices evenly in the pan and shallow-fry them undisturbed for 1 minute on each side to achieve a crusty coating. Transfer the beef to a plate and turn off the heat.
Assemble The Dish
Drain most of the oil from the pan, reserving 1 tablespoon. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel, then add the reserved tablespoon of oil. Over medium-high heat, add the ginger and whole dried chilies (if using—if you’d like the dish spicier, break 1 or 2 chilies in half). After 15 seconds, add the garlic and the scallion whites. Stir-fry for another 15 seconds. Add the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry, then slowly stir it into the pan.
Add the beef and the green parts of the scallions. Toss everything together for 30 seconds, until the scallions are wilted and there is almost no standing sauce. Serve.
Note: Dark soy sauce is saltier, sweeter, and a bit thicker than regular soy sauce. It is used to flavor dishes and also darken the color of sauces, and you only need one to two teaspoons. Dark soy sauce is available at Asian markets or online. If you don’t have any, you can simply omit it. However, your dish will be lighter in color. If you want your dish to look like the photograph, don’t leave it out. (Alternatively, you can make a substitute by combining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon molasses, and ⅛ teaspoon sugar.)
Pair With
This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com. Follow on Instagram