My family’s favorite dish at P.F. Chang’s is their Mongolian Beef. And while I enjoy P.F. Chang’s, I don’t like the prices or the fact that our P.F. Chang’s is 20 minutes away. This recipe might be even better than the original. I cook it in my nonstick skillet, but if you have a wok, that would work better to keep the oil splatter in the pan.
Mongolian Beef
serves 4-5
2 pounds flank steak
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (approximately) canola/vegetable/peanut oil for frying
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
Cut the flank steak against the grain about 1/2 inch thick (or thinner if you can). Lightly salt the beef, then sprinkle the cornstarch over the meat to coat it.
Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add enough oil to have about 1/4 inch of oil in the pan (could be as much as 1/2 cup depending on the size of your pan). Add the beef in a single layer (you might have to do it in batches, depending on the size of your pan), and brown it on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan with a slotted spoon and onto paper towels.
Let the pan cool a bit, then drain all the oil from the pan, except about 1 tablespoon. Heat the oil over medium low heat, and add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few seconds. Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar. Stir until the brown sugar dissolves (about one minute).
Add the beef back to the pan with the sauce, bring the sauce to a boil, and cook until the sauce thickens to a desired consistency. Serve with rice.
