Easy Mongolian Beef

Today marks the 86th Academy Awards, and Stuart and I are settling in for a fun evening with friends where we will be eating Costo pizza and competing to guess which movies will win each category. I hope you all have equally fun evenings ahead! I can't wait to see the red carpet gowns and write down a big list of movies to watch this spring.

Something else I have been craving as spring rolls in is Chinese food (wow, I just noticed the phrase "spring rolls" in this sentence as I re-read it which was completely unconscious!). I used to LOVE Chinese food when I was young, and we miraculously had an amazing Chinese restaurant where I grew up in Nevada. I always secretly laughed to myself when we ordered the "pu pu platter" appetizer, which was delicious...I know, I was the model of maturity. Since then, I have never found Chinese food that I liked as much as Nevada's "Mandarin Gourmet," even when I lived in the Bay Area during college.

While perusing Pinterest the other day, I came across this recipe for Mongolian Beef, and I knew I had to try it. I followed the recipe pretty closely, with the addition of a bunch of freshly steamed broccoli and a side of fluffy white rice. It was no Mandarin Gourmet, but it sure satisfied my craving in a big way!

 

Ingredients:
Vegetable oil or coconut oil
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 cup water
1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 pounds flank steak, sliced
1/2 cup cornstarch
Green onions, sliced
Broccoli, steamed
Cooked white rice

Directions:

1. In a small pot over medium heat, add 2 tsp. of oil and sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss sliced flank steak with cornstarch, shaking off the excess. Place in fridge for 10 minutes to allow coating to stick better on the beef.

3. After 10 minutes, in a heavy bottom saucepan, over medium high heat, add 1/2 cup of oil and add the beef to the pan, in batches, to sear the outside on all sides, but barely cooked in the middle. Remove and let drain on paper towels as you finish up the rest of the beef. Pour out any excess oil and discard.

4. Place the saucepan back on the burner, turning down temperature to medium heat, and pour in the sauce from earlier. It should come to a boil immediately. Add in the steak and coat with the sauce. Continue cooking beef and sauce at a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken gradually and the steak will finish cooking. Add in the scallions.

5. Serve hot over white or brown rice.