Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef is all about that sticky, glossy sauce — sweet, savoury and clinging to every crisp-edged slice of beef. It's the dish you order when you want something a bit indulgent, spooned over a mountain of steamed rice.

The secret to the restaurant texture is a light cornflour coating and a hot pan, which gives the beef those lovely crisp edges before it takes a quick bath in the sauce.

With only a handful of pantry ingredients in the sauce, this one comes together faster than delivery. Slice the beef thinly against the grain and you're most of the way there.

Servings
4
Prep Time
15
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Cook Time
15
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Ingredients
13
Total Time
30
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Ingredients

  • 600g beef rump or flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
  • 1/3 cup cornflour
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
  • 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds, to serve
  • Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef dry with paper towel, then toss with the cornflour until every slice is lightly coated. Shake off the excess.
  2. Stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water and sesame oil in a small jug until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Fry the beef in two or three batches for 2-3 minutes per batch until crisp at the edges, then remove to a plate. Don't crowd the pan.
  4. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes (if using) and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
  6. Return the beef to the wok with the spring onions and toss for 1 minute until everything is coated and the spring onion has just softened.
  7. Scatter with sesame seeds and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

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