Mongolian Beef is one of our favorite dishes to make at home! Did you know that Mongolian beef didn't originate from Mongolia? Not sure why it is called Mongolian Beef because it is actually a Chinese American dish! This tender thinly sliced beef is first flash fried and then stir-fried in a sweet, salty, garlicky, and spicy sauce mixture.
The secret to tenderized beef is to use baking soda and then velvet the beef. Velveting the beef is a very popular Chinese cooking technique that our grandma taught us. This technique involves marinating thin slices of meat in cornstarch, egg white, and oil; it breaks down the proteins and creates a protective coating before dunking it in hot oil before stir-frying.
Ingredients
Beef Marinade:
1 lb Beef flank steak, sliced at an angle against the grain -thin slices (about 1/4" inch thick)
1 teaspoon Baking soda
1 1/2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 egg white
1 teaspoon avocado oil (or any cooking oil)
2 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1/2 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Sauce:
4 Tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1/4 cup water
Cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water) for later
Other:
1 teaspoon Ginger, minced
5 cloves Garlic, minced
7 Scallions, cut 2 inch long
1/3 cup avocado oil (or any cooking oil)
1 Tbsp avocado oil
rice & broccoli or any vegetable to serve
Instructions
Coat sliced flank steak in 1 teaspoon baking soda. Let it sit for 5 minutes then thoroughly rinse off with water. (This is the secret to a tender beef).
In a bowl, marinate the meat for 1 hour with cornstarch, egg white, cooking oil, shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. (This method is called "velveting" the meat. It tenderizes the beef, keeps moisture in, and also creates a crisp coating while cooking.
Prepare sauce and other ingredients.
In a wok, heat 1/3 cup oil on high. Pan fry the beef until slightly browned & 90% cooked. Don't over crowd the pan. You may have to work in batches so the beef can be seared & crisp. Set aside when done.
Heat 1 Tbsp on medium high. Add dried red chili for 15 secs then garlic & ginger separately. Cook for another 15 secs or until fragrant (and not burnt).
Lower to medium heat. Pour in the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Return seared beef to the pan and mix well into the sauce. Let it cook for a few minutes. Add scallions and stir fry it well with the beef. If the sauce is still very watery, add the cornstarch slurry and allow the sauce to thicken. Transfer to a plate and serve with rice & broccoli.
Notes
This dish isn't meant to be overly spicy. We used 7 small whole red chili for a mild kick. If you prefer more spicy, you can cut the chili in half (the seeds is where the heat is). Also, use 3 to 4 chili to start then work your way up.
If you make this recipe, we'd love to see it! Tag us at @NY.Foodie on your stories & posts.