Mongolian beef is a dish invented in Taiwan which has become a staple of Chinese-American cooking.  (It has nothing to do with Mongolia.)  I recently enjoyed it at PF Chang’s and looked around the internet for how to make it.  This version is adapted from thewoksoflife.com.  It makes 4 servings and takes about 45 minutes plus marinading time of at least 45 minutes.  (I marinaded for about 8 hours.)

The beef in this dish is marinades with a small amount of baking soda and is coated with corn starch before frying, which is called velveting, and makes the meat very tender.  Like all stir-fries, have all the ingredients prepped before starting cooking, which goes fast.

Carol observed that the sauce was too thick to soak into the rice.  She saw this as a defect, but it was the intention of the recipe.

For marinating the beef

1 lb. flank steak, sliced with the grain into 1-2 inch pieces, and then against the grain into ¼ inch slices

2 tsp. neutral oil

2 tsp. Shaoxing wine, sake, or dry sherry

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1 Tbs. water

¼ tsp. baking soda

For the sauce

¼ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup hot water (or low sodium chicken or beef stock)

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tsp. dark soy sauce (optional)

For coating and searing the beef

~1/4 cup cornstarch

2/3 cup neutral oil

For the rest of the dish

1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger

8 dried red chili peppers

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 scallions, sliced with the white and green parts separated

1-1/2 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbs. water to make a paste

Start by marinading the beef in a gallon ziplock baggie.  Massage the bag to coat all of the surfaces of the meat with the marinade ingredients.  Marinade in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to overnight.

Make the sauce by putting the brown sugar in a medium bowl and dissolving it in the hot water.  Stir in the soy sauce and optional dark soy sauce.

Take the marinaded meat out of the bag and sprinkle with the cornstarch.  Massage the meat to ensure that the cornstarch covers all the surfaces of the meat.  Add additional cornstarch if necessary.

Heat the oil in a wok or similar pan over high heat until the oil almost starts smoking.  Add about half of the beef, spreading it out, and fry for 2 minutes total to get a crispy coating on the beef.  Remove the first batch with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined bowl or plate and repeat with the second half.

Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the oil from the wok.  (I can be used for other dishes.)  Heat over medium-high heat.  Add the ginger and dried chilies and cook for about 15 seconds.  Then add the garlic and the white part of the scallions and cook for another 15 seconds.

Add the premixed sauce and cook for about 2 minutes.  After 2 minutes, slowly add the cornstarch paste and cook until the sauce has thickened enough to coat a spoon.  Add the beef and the green parts of the scallions and stir to mix both well with the sauce.  When the beef is well coated and is warmed, serve over steamed rice.