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Mongolian beef is a Chinese-American stir-fry of thin-sliced beef marinated in baking soda and cornstarch for tenderness, then wok-fried until crispy and tossed with a tangy oyster sauce glaze. The key is cutting against the grain and using high heat to crisp the exterior while keeping the interior juicy.
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We're going to start by trimming the beef. Place it flat on a cutting board, and cut away any white, stringy gristle that'll make the beef difficult to eat.\n Then, note which direction the grain of the meat is running. Cut the beef into thin slices across the grain. (You might have to first section your original piece of beef into chunks in order to get bite-sized slices.) This way, the beef slices will cook up silky and tender.\n Next, put the beef in a medium-sized bowl. Use cold water to rinse the red myoglobin from the beef so that it will cook up to be paler and more appealing-looking.
In a bowl, add baking soda, cornstarch, water, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, tamari, and white pepper powder. Mix them thoroughly.\n Squeeze the excess water out from the rinsed beef slices, firmly enough to get the water out, but not so firmly that the beef slices break apart. Add the beef slices into the marinade, and mix well. As you mix the beef into the marinade, the beef will soak it up.
On a separate cutting board, halve the onion to make a flat surface. It's much safer to cut it when it sits flat and steady on the cutting board. From there, chop it into 1/4-inch thick slices, and separate the slices by hand after.\n Chop the scallions into 1-inch pieces. Separate the white parts from the green parts.\n Smash, peel, and mince the garlic.\n To cut the green bell pepper and red bell pepper, sit them up with the stem up. Put your knife to the side of the stem and cut straight down. You should be able to avoid most of the seeds in the piece that you've cut away. \n To make the strips more uniform, cut away the top and bottom edges of that piece to make a large rectangle, and then cut that rectangle into strips. Keep cutting away sides, making rectangles, and cutting strips for as much of each bell pepper as you need.
To make the stir-fry sauce, mix together oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, and cooking wine in a small bowl.
Once the beef has absorbed all of the marinade, add oil to the beef and mix it in. The oil will help seal the marinade in and lock in the juices.\n Then, add cornstarch to the beef as well and give it another mix. The cornstarch will help the beef crisp up in the frying process.
Turn the stove to high heat, and let the wok heat up until it's just about to smoke, or barely smokes. You might see some color change in the center of the wok. \n Add oil, and swirl it around to coat the wok. Add the rest of the oil, and let it heat for about a minute. Add the beef and fry it for about 1.5 minutes. The beef will be cooked through and even a little crispy by them. \n Turn off the stove and remove the beef from the wok. Let the oil drain off as you scoop the beef out, so that the beef is not left sitting in a puddle of oil. Keep the cooked beef handy in a bowl nearby.\n Pour the oil out from the wok into a separate container. You can reuse this oil for cooking other dishes. The oil that's remaining in the wok will be enough to finish cooking the rest of this dish.\n Stir fry veggies\n Turn the stove back on, and add the garlic, dried chili pepper, onion, and green onion whites, and green and red bell peppers. Fry them for about 1 to 1.5 minutes, until they're fragrant and cooked through.\n Add the beef back in and stir fry for about 20 seconds. \n Then add the sauce and the green parts of the green onion. Stir fry for 30 seconds more, then turn off the heat.\n Finish by drizzling sesame oil over the top and mix to distribute.
Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste! This is usually served in a large serving bowl or plate and everyone can take the amount they want.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a wok or skillet over high heat with a splash of water to restore crispness.
wok
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Baking soda raises the pH of the meat, allowing it to retain moisture and stay tender during high-heat cooking. This is a restaurant technique for achieving that signature tender texture.
Marinate the beef up to 4 hours in advance. Prepare vegetables and sauce separately. Cook the stir-fry fresh just before serving for best crispness.
Use a high-smoke-point oil like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil. The wok must be hot enough to barely smoke before adding oil for proper crisping.
Fry for about 1.5 minutes at high heat until the beef is cooked through and has crispy edges. It will brown and firm up noticeably.
Yes, use any light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and regular tamari in equal amounts. Kikkoman is traditional but other brands work if you match the salty, umami profile.
