Mongolian Beef
If you follow me on social media, you know that this past weekend was my pug Elfie’s birthday, As a bonus, it was also my 15th anniversary with Kevin. I really don’t need an excuse to throw a party, but these two events were definitely a cause for celebration.
I decided to throw a fun Chinese themed garden party! We have had such an amazing summer and I wanted all of our friends and family to really enjoy the beauty of my yard as well some of my favorite Asian recipes. Over the next two weeks, I will share with you recipes and tips for throwing your very own Chinese themed party.
This fist recipe I’m sharing was the most popular dish at the party and the first to be emptied — it’s a definite winner and easy to prepare. Enjoy my Mongolian Beef with rice or rice noodles. It would also be great served with a side of summer green beans.
- 1 pound flank steak
- 2 teaspoon peanut oil
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce (I used mushroom soy sauce)
- ½ cup cornstarch
- peanut oil for frying
- 2 inches of fresh ginger
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (whole dried red chiles would work too about 8)
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup to 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Start by slicing the flank steak across the grain into thin ¼ inch slices. I then took each slice and cut them in ½, so instead of having long slices I had slices 2-4 inches long (easier to pick up with chop sticks).
- Toss the slices of steak with the 2 teaspoons of peanut oil and soy sauces. Let stand for 15 minutes to 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Toss the slices with the cornstarch so that every slice is white and covered.
- Heat about ½ a cup of oil in a wok or sauté pan until very hot. Add slices to the wok; don’t crowd them. I added about 5-8 slices at a time. You only need to cook for about a minute until they get brown and crusty. Flip each slice and cook for another few seconds. Remove each slice with tongs to a plate or baking sheet. Continue with remaining slices of steak.
- Once done, remove oil from the wok but keep just enough for to coat the bottom of the pan. Add in the ginger and chili flakes or whole dried peppers. Toss around and then add the garlic. Toss and then add the liquids (broth and soy). Add in the brown sugar and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes and then add in the cornstarch mixed with the water. Simmer until it’s a thickened sauce. Add back in all the steak; toss so that each slice is covered in sauce!
- Garnish with green onion slices or sesame seeds if desired and enjoy. If your guests are anything like mine you’ll have an empty platter of steak immediately.
