Mongolian Beef

• servings: 2-4
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb flank steak, sliced into ½” thick slices (freeze for 15 min before to help with cutting)

Handful of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces and steamed / baked as desired

¼ cup cornstarch

½ tsp ground white pepper

5 garlic cloves, minced

2 red Fresno chiles, thinly sliced

1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped

One bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch segments

2 tsp gochugaru

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup dark soy sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup water

High heat oil

Rice vinegar

Thai basil and green onion greens for garnish

Directions

Season the wok with oil, then wipe it out with a paper towel. Add another 3-4 tbsp of oil and heat it over medium-high. Toss the sliced beef together with corn starch, white pepper, and a pinch of salt. Once the oil is hot, shake off the excess starch from teh beef and shallow fry the pieces of beef in batches, about 2-3 minutes per side, until they finish browning.

Once you’ve fried all the beef, add in the segments and pan fry for about 30 seconds, or until caramelizations forms. Add in the ginger, Fresno chiles, and gochugaru, and fry for 45 seconds or until aromatic.

Add the brown sugar, git it a mix, then add the dark and regular soy sauces, the water, and a splash of rice vinegar. Let that boil and reduce for 3 minutes over medium-low heat. Adding the beef and cooling the sauce will both further thicken the sauce, so you want it somewhat loose still at this stage.

Add in the beef and toss to coat thoroughly. You can simmer for a minute or so longer to thicken the sauce as desired. Turn off the heat and add in the thai basil and garlic, stirring everything to combine. Serve hot with some sesame seeds and green onions on top, a side of white rice, and the cooked broccoli, using the broccoli to soak up the remaining sauce. (If you have leftovers, store the broccoli separate from the sauce to prevent it from being too soggy after reheating.

Notes

A popular and simple to make Chinese dish. Though popular in America, this dish was created in Taiwan in the 1950’s. The Mongolian in the name has nothing to do with food from Mongolia, but is instead attributed to the barbecue style of cooking. This dish features tenderized slices of beef that are stir-fried until crispy and covered in a sweet and savory sauce. Broccoli is listed here as the vegetable of choice, but anything else that can soak up the sauce and cut through the richness will work great!