Mongolian Beef

 

I make dinner for all of my siblings for their birthdays...their choice!  My sister-in-law chose to have Mongolian beef...something I had never made before.
The flank steak was an extremely pricey cut of meat, but if you ask your butcher/store meat specialist they should be able to suggest another cut or two that would be similar but at a fraction of the cost.
I am so glad she requested this tasty dish.  We can't wait to have it again!

This recipe serves 4-6.

4 TBSP + 1 C canola oil
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 TBSP garlic, minced
1 C soy sauce, low sodium
1 C dark brown sugar
2 LBS. of flank steak
1/2 C cornstarch
1/2-1 C water
3 green onions, diced
sesame seeds (to taste)

serve with rice and steamed broccoli if desired

To begin the sauce, heat the 4 TBSP of oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
Dissolve the sugar into the mixture and turn the heat up to medium.
Bring it to a boil and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
Remove it from the heat and allow it to sit.
Slice the flank steak across the grain.  It should be about 1/4" thick.  If you tilt the knife at a 45 degree angle, the cuts of meat will be thicker and not so string-like.
Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch (so it coats both sides) and then let it sit for 10 minutes.
Heat up 1 C of the oil in a wok-type of pan on medium heat.
Add the meat to the pan and cook while stirring for about 2 minutes just so the edges start to look cooked.
Using a sloted spoon or a strainer, remove the meat and dump out most of the oil.
Put the meat back in the pan and the skillet back on the heat.
Stir the meat for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the sauce and the green onions.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and keep the sauce in the pan.
Combine the cornstarch and water (use more water for a thinner sauce and less water for a thicker sauce).
Whisk the cornstarch-water mixture into the sauce and let it simmer for a couple minutes until it gets to the desired thickness.
Serve with extra sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds for texture.

The recipe is adapted from favfamilyrecipes.com.