Mongolian Beef

I’ve recently started to crave Chinese takeout eats: sesame chicken, Mongolian beef, Kung Pao chicken, you get it. I know, what a strange craving! This version of Mongolian beef is less sweet than what you might find at an Americanized Chinese spot (i.e. PF Chang’s, Panda Express), which tends to be loaded with sugar, but still has the same saucy, tender beef. The below serves ~2 people.

Ingredients:

For the beef:

• 1/2 lb flank steak, sliced against the grain into strips ~1/4 inch thick
• Marinade: 1 tbsp soy sauce, corn starch, and water
• Cornstarch coating: 1 tbsp cornstarch

Everything else:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced, separate scallion whites and greens
• 1/4 inch piece of ginger, minced
• 4 dried red chilis
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• Cornstarch slurry: 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp water, mixed together
• Optional: roasted sesame seeds

Directions:

• Mix sliced steak with equal parts soy sauce, corn starch, and water. Allow it to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Then, mix in another 1 tbsp cornstarch so that it coats the beef
• Heat up cooking oil over medium heat – use enough oil that it thinly lines the bottom of your wok or nonstick skillet. Cook until the beef is browned ~3-4 minutes. Remove beef from skillet.
• If needed, add more oil, and then add in ginger, garlic, and scallion whites, and dried chilis and sauté for about a minute, until fragrant.
• Add in brown sugar, soy sauce, and water. Give it a stir and allow it to simmer on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in cornstarch slurry (mix it up again before pouring!) and stir it into the sauce
• Toss beef in and simmer for another 2 minutes, adding in scallion greens at the end. Top with roasted scallion seeds.
• Serve with rice and your choice of veg!