Mongolian Beef

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From The Woks of Life cookbook, this crispy Mongolian beef is every bit as good as the version served at your favorite Chinese restaurant.

What You’ll Need To Make Mongolian Beef

• Soy sauce: Two kinds are called for: regular and dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is saltier, sweeter, and a bit thicker than regular soy sauce. It used to flavor dishes and also darken the color of sauces, and you only need a small amount. You can find it at Asian markets or online. If you don’t have any, you can simply omit it but your dish will be lighter in color. Alternatively, you can make a substitute by combining 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon molasses, and 1/8 teaspoon sugar.
• Cornstarch: Used for thickening, dredging, and binding in Chinese cooking. As a thickener, cornstarch needs to be dissolved in water before adding it to simmering liquid. It makes more robust, glistening, visually appealing sauces. Cornstarch also works well in batters and crispy coatings, and helps seal in juices of meat before cooking, resulting in tender meat.
• Shaoxing wine: A type of Chinese rice wine that helps give Chinese food its distinctive flavor. Dry sherry can be substituted.
• Dried whole red chili peppers: A common ingredient in Chinese cooking, these peppers are made by drying fresh red chili peppers until they become hard and brittle. You can usually find them in the produce section at the supermarket.
• Baking soda: Used in Chinese cooking as a meat tenderizer. When mixed with water, baking soda creates an alkaline solution that can break down the tough fibers in meat, making it more tender. The process of using baking soda to tenderize meat is known as “velveting.”
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Slice the flank steak against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.

In a medium bowl, combine the Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda.

Add the beef and stir until evenly coated.

In a small bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water. Mix in the regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce.

Slice the scallions and mince the garlic and ginger.

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 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.

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).

After 15 seconds, add the garlic and the scallion whites. Stir-fry for another 15 seconds.

Add the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes.

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.

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