Description
Savor the bold flavors of Mongolian beef, a sizzling stir-fry that brings Asian-inspired cuisine straight to your kitchen. Tender strips of beef dance with a glossy, sweet-savory sauce, promising a restaurant-quality meal you can easily recreate at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 1 lb beef flank steak, sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 8 dried red chilies (optional)
- 4 scallions, white and green parts separated, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Marinade and Seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)
Coating and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare beef by combining it with oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda in a mixing vessel. Allow the mixture to rest and absorb flavors for approximately 60 minutes at room temperature.
- Create sauce by dissolving brown sugar in hot water, then integrating regular and dark soy sauces until smooth and uniform.
- Thoroughly coat marinated beef pieces with additional cornstarch, ensuring complete and even coverage.
- Heat substantial cooking oil in a wok or heavy skillet until extremely hot, around 375°F. Carefully fry beef portions in small batches, achieving a crispy golden exterior by cooking roughly 1 minute per side.
- Remove excess oil, reserving minimal amount in cooking vessel. Quickly sauté ginger and dried chilies for 15 seconds to release aromatic compounds.
- Introduce garlic and scallion whites, stirring rapidly to prevent burning and develop intense flavor profiles.
- Pour prepared sauce into pan, allowing liquid to simmer and reduce for approximately 2 minutes.
- Whisk cornstarch with water to create a thickening slurry, then integrate into simmering sauce to enhance viscosity.
- Reintroduce crispy beef pieces and sprinkle scallion greens, tossing energetically to ensure complete sauce coverage.
- Transfer immediately to serving plates, accompanying with steamed rice or noodles for a complete culinary experience.
Notes
- Tenderize beef by slicing against the grain to ensure maximum softness and prevent chewiness.
- Use high-quality, well-marbled beef like flank or sirloin for the most tender and flavorful result.
- Keep cornstarch coating light and even to achieve crispy exterior without making meat heavy or soggy.
- Control oil temperature carefully during frying to prevent burning and maintain beef’s crisp texture.
- For gluten-free version, substitute regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure cornstarch is certified gluten-free.
- Create milder version by reducing or removing dried chilies while maintaining authentic flavor profile.
- Prepare all ingredients in advance to execute quick stir-frying technique without risking overcooking.
- Serve immediately after cooking to maintain beef’s crispiness and prevent sauce from making meat soggy.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 382 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg