Some people say that Mongolian beef was created in Taiwan, and some people say it was created in the US, so the origin might be a bit unclear. But these are what I know for sure. It’s a super popular dish served in any Chinese American restaurant. And, it’s very tasty! Today, I’d like to share with you my version of Mongolian beef!

Mongolian Beef Recipe

Serving: 2
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the beef and marinades:
1 ½ pounds beef flank steak, cut against the grain into ¼-inch slices
1 egg white
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, or replace with other cooking wine
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
Pinch of baking soda
4 cups avocado oil, for frying, or replace with other high smoking point oil
½ cup cornstarch

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For the stir-fry:
2 tablespoons avocado oil
6 dried red chili peppers
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 stalk scallions, cut into 1 ½ -inch long

Mongolian Beef Instructions

1. To marinate the beef, in a large bowl, add the egg white (it helps to tenderize the beef), salt, white pepper, and baking soda (this also helps to tenderize the beef). Whisk. Place in the beef, mix well, and massage for 5 minutes. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Coat the beef with cornstarch and mix well. Set aside.
3. To make the sauce, in a bowl, mix in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, and water. Whisk and put it aside.
4. To fry the beef, in a wok over high heat, place in the avocado oil (or replace with other high smoking point oil). Heat it up to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Carefully place in the beef and fry for about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
5. To stir-fry, in a wok over high heat, add the avocado oil (or other high smoking point oil), dried red chili peppers, and garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic, 30 seconds. Pour in the sauce and cornstarch slurry (2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water). Stir until the sauce is thickened. Return the beef and coat with the sauce. Lastly, add the scallions and mix well. Serve!

Notes on the used oil:

• Used oil can be reused in the future if it was not cloudy and dark. Let the oil cool to room temperature, and pour it into a glass jar through a coffee filter or cheesecloth. Then store it in a cool and dry place.
• If the used oil isn’t reusable, throw it away properly. Let it cool to room temperature, and pour it into a non-breakable container with a lid. Then tightly seal the container and toss it into the trash. Never pour the used oil down the drain, as it can clog your sink.