Mongolian beef features delicious seared steak with a sticky, yummy Asian-inspired sauce that goes great over a bed of rice.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: bell pepper, brown sugar, flank steak, fresh ginger, green onion, minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, top round steak
Ingredients
1 1/4poundsflank or top round steaksliced thinly
1/4cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
3tablespoonsvegetable or canola oilI ended up needing more than this
2bell peppersany color, cut into strips
1/2cupgreen onionscut into 1/4-inch pieces
6 to 8clovesgarlicminced
2teaspoonsfresh gingerminced (I used ginger paste)
1teaspoonsesame oil
1/2cupsoy sauce
1/3cupwater
1/2cupbrown sugar
salt and pepperto taste
rice or rice noodles and sesame seedsfor serving
Instructions
Cut the steak into one-inch-wide strips and add it to a plastic bag with 1/4 cup of cornstarch. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the strips.
Prepare a plate by lining it with a paper towel and set it aside.
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil on high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the strips of steak in a single layer. Saute for a few minutes on each side until the meat is browned. Remove the strips from the skillet and place them on the paper-towel-lined plate.
Continue in batches (adding more oil if it’s sticking) until all the meat is browned.
Turn the heat down to medium-high heat, add a bit more oil if necessary and add in the bell peppers and green onions. Saute until they reach your desired level of doneness. Toss in the garlic and ginger and saute for about 30 seconds to a minute.
Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, water and brown sugar to the pan, making sure to scrape the bottom for any good, browned bits from the steak and the veggies. Let the mixture come to a simmer, stirring regularly.
In a small bowl, combine the other two teaspoons of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture is starting to thicken, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the steak. Make sure to mix well to evenly coat everything.
Add salt and pepper as desired (I didn’t have to add any salt at all, thanks to the other seasonings. It’s better to taste the sauce first.)
Serve over prepared rice or rice noodles and top with sesame seeds.