Mongolian Beef, despite its name, is a Taiwanese dish, made with beef (usually flank steak) and scallions or vegetables, served on a bed of steamed rice.
▶In the United States, it is a staple of American Chinese restaurants, where the beef is served on crispy fried glass noodles.
▶The dish stems from the fact that it was in Taiwan that “Mongolian barbecue” restaurants first appeared: a method of stir-frying meat and vegetables originated by a Chinese expatriate during the 1950s, Wu Zhaonan.
After fleeing to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War, Wu opened a street food stall in Yingqiao, Taipei, in 1951.
Initially, he wanted to call his cooking style “Beijing barbecue,” but due to political sensitivities, he chose “Mongolian barbecue” instead, despite having no connection to Mongolia.
It is also believed the name was chosen for marketing purposes, to cultivate an exotic appeal around his eatery.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Contemporary
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 thin beef steaks (flank steak)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 50 ml soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 scallions (cut into pieces)
- to taste salt and pepper
- 12.7 oz long-grain rice (steamed)
- to taste sesame seeds
Steps
Season the sliced steak with salt and pepper. Toss the steak with cornstarch until it is fully and evenly coated.
Add a large skillet over medium-high heat 1 tablespoon of oil, the sliced bell pepper, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 1 minute, then add the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of water, and sugar and bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Set aside.
Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the steak and sear until it is evenly browned on both sides, for 1 to 2 minutes per side.Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir with the meat. Let it simmer and thicken the sauce for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the scallions and continue to cook for another minute, until the sauce is thick enough.
Pour the Mongolian beef over the steamed rice and serve, garnishing with sesame seeds.
FAQ
What are Mongolian Barbecue restaurants?
Mongolian barbecue restaurants allow diners to select raw meats, vegetables, and sauces, which are then stir-fried together on a large flat grill.
This style includes Chinese-style stir-fried beef, which emphasizes tender cuts and sweet and sour sauces, and also draws inspiration from Japanese teppanyaki.
One of the most popular combinations was sliced beef stir-fried with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sugar, which eventually became known as “Mongolian beef.”
