Mongolian Beef
This dish is so tender and crispy that I often have to stop myself from eating the beef before it hits the sauce. The sauce is what makes the dish so special, as it is rich with a perfect balance of flayva from the likes of soy sauce, oyster sauce and brown sugar. This recipe is ideal fakeaway inspiration for those who love Chinese takeout, as it is easy to make at home and can be customised to suit your taste preferences. I first tried this in America, it’s not something I really see on menus in the UK, but we really are missing out because the ingredients are very easily sourced. Don’t worry though, I’m here to come to the rescue and share these beautiful flayvas.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Alright, so the first thing you want to do is slice your steak against the grain. Start by identifying the direction of the grain. Look closely at the steak and you should be able to see the long, thin lines running through it. This is the grain. Once you’ve identified the grain, take a sharp knife and position it perpendicular to the direction of the grain. This means the blade should be running across the lines of the grain. Make a cut across the steak, slicing through it against the grain.
Step 2
Cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) thick slices and marinate with the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 2 tablespoons of cornflour (quantities are for 4 servings) for 15–20 minutes. This is going to tenderise your meat!
Step 3
While you wait, combine the 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, beef stock, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp cornflour for the sauce in a bowl. Mix and pop to the side.
Step 4
Now mix the beef; if you find it’s a little dry, add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen it up. Then coat the beef in a bowl with an extra 2 tbsp of cornflour, working in batches and ensuring you shake off any excess marinade.
Step 5
Heat the 80 ml vegetable oil in a wok and sear the beef for 1–2 minutes. Turn it over and let the other side sear for another 30 seconds–1 minute. Then remove from the heat and place on a tray lined with kitchen paper. At this point your beef should be golden, slightly brown and crispy.
Step 6
Drain the oil, leaving 1–2 tablespoons in the wok. Over medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger for 15–30 seconds max, moving constantly so it doesn’t burn. Then toss in the dried red chillies, if using. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds until the chillies are slightly toasted – they will also go from dark red to a more vibrant red.
Step 7
Add the sauce, then give it a mix to ensure the cornflour hasn’t settled. Stir to combine over medium heat, or until the sauce has thickened. Bang in the beef and spring onions and get everything coated in them glorious flayvas!
Step 8
Serve immediately, garnished with the sesame seed and enjoy with white rice.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
0.75tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda 1x Sainsbury's Bicarbonate Of Soda 180g -
1.5tbsp Shaoxing Wine 1x Yutaka Shaoxing Rice Wine 150ml -
0.5tsp White Pepper 1x Sainsbury's Ground White Pepper 44g -
5 tbsp Cornflour 1x Sainsbury's Cornflour 500g -
5 Garlic Cloves, minced 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
1tbsp Fresh Ginger, minced 1x Sainsbury's Ginger 100g -
5 tbsp Light Soy Sauce 1x Sainsbury's Light Soy Sauce 150ml -
4 Spring Onions, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) pieces 1x Sainsbury's Spring Onions Bunch 100g -
2tbsp Soft Brown Sugar 1x Sainsbury's Fairtrade Light Soft Brown Sugar 500g -
1tbsp Oyster Sauce 1x Sainsbury's Oyster Sauce 150ml -
440g Cooked Jasmine Rice, to serve 2x Ben's Original Jasmine Microwave Rice 220g -
180ml Beef Stock, or water 1x Oxo Reduced Salt Beef Stock Cubes x12 71g -
8 Dried Red Chinese Chillies, or use half the amount of fresh small chillies 1x Fudco Red Whole Chilli 100g -
500g Skirt Steak, bavette or flank will also work 1x Sainsbury's Beef Skirt (300g-450g) -
80ml Vegetable Oil 1x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L -
2 tbsp Sesame Seeds 1x Sainsbury's Sesame Seeds 100g