Brittany and I love takeout, specifically Asian food, but sometimes that can get pricey and usually involves me trying to pronounce something like pho or pad see ew. This recipe has solved both those issues; it’s cheap and very easy to say! One of my favorite dishes to get as take out is Mongolian Beef, with Pad Thai a close second. The flavor of this dish is wonderful and the beef is quite tender when cut against the grain (we’ll talk more about that later).
Yum
the first thing you will need is a flank steak, I try to choose one with a bit more fat as opposed to a leaner cut since we want this to pack in as much flavor as possible, the “breading” if you will is simply corn starch which makes coating each piece super simple.
One critical piece of hardware for this dish is a wok, but you don’t need to go out and get some fancy restaurant-grade version, one like this
Lastly, I wanted to stress the importance of slicing your flank steak against the grain and at an angle (like 45 degrees). I sliced with the grain the first time making this and BOY what a difference it makes in your ability to chew this delicious, yet tricky piece of meat! Give this recipe a try this week if you are craving some delicious Asian food, but don’t feel like taking out.
Notes
The green garnish on top is some chopped up garlic shoots from my indoor "garden"
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- vegetable oil, for frying (about 1 cup)
- 1 lb flank steak
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 large green onions, sliced
Instructions
For the sauce:
- Heat 2 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over low heat
- Add ginger and garlic to pan, sauté until fragrant (30 seconds) then add soy sauce and water
- Dissolve brown sugar into the sauce, then increase heat to boil for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce thickens
For the beef:
- Slice the flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into bite sized pieces about ¼ inch thick
- Lightly coat each piece with cornstarch by either dipping into a bowl of corn starch or placing both in a plastic bag and giving it a good shake. Set aside
- Heat one cup oil in a wok over medium heat
- Working in batches, add the beef to the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes each, or until the beef just starts to darken on the edges
- Place cooked beef on a clean plate covered in paper towels to soak up excess oil, then pour out remaining oil once finished
- Return wok to medium heat and place your fried beef back in the wok to simmer for 1 minute
- Add the sauce and stir to combine, cook for about 1 minute before adding the green onions, then another minute once they have been added
- Serve over rice or noodles, enjoy!