Mongolian Beef
Quick stir-fried beef in a glossy sweet soy sauce with scallions.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Gluten, Soy. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: Despite the name, this dish has no ties to Mongolia — it was invented at Taiwanese "Mongolian barbecue" restaurants in the 1950s-70s and refined into its familiar sticky, dark-glazed form by Chinese-American restaurant kitchens in the US. Some versions lean sweeter and use only soy sauce; the fuller restaurant-style flavor comes from adding hoisin and dark soy for color and depth.
Ingredients
- 500g flank steak, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 3/4 cup water or beef stock
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4-6 dried red chilies (optional, for heat)
- 4 scallions, cut into segments
- 3 tbsp oil
Steps
- Toss beef slices in cornstarch to coat lightly.
- Heat oil in a wok over high heat, fry beef in batches until crisp and browned; set aside.
- Add garlic and ginger to the wok, fry briefly.
- Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water/stock, brown sugar, and dried chilies if using; simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Return beef to the wok, toss to coat in the sauce.
- Add scallions, toss briefly, and serve over rice.