Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds beef flap meat, trimmed and sliced thin
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 to 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
• 4 scallions: white parts finely chopped, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 to 5 dried árbol chiles (about 2 inches each), stems removed, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice

Before Cooking

Freeze the beef strips slightly to make slicing them thinly easier.

Request a 1.5-pound slab of flap meat from your butcher to avoid the challenge of slicing pre-cut steak tips. Flank steak will also work well.

For a spicier dish, use the higher number of arbol chiles. If arbol chiles are unavailable, use small dried Asian chiles or 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

Prep the Beef

Cut the beef along the grain into 2.5- to 3-inch-wide strips and place them on a large plate. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Next, slice the beef crosswise, against the grain, into very thin 1/8-inch-thick pieces. Toss the beef with cornstarch in a bowl and set aside.

Fry the Beef

Set up a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until it reaches 375°F. Add one-third of the beef and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, around 4 minutes.

Adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to the prepared rack.

Return the oil temperature to 375°F and repeat the frying process with the remaining beef in two batches.

Make the Sauce

Transfer 1 tablespoon of the frying oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high until shimmering.

Add the scallion whites, arbol chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the water, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a vigorous simmer.

Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and reduces to approximately 1.25 cups, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Combine and Serve

Combine the fried beef and scallion greens with the sauce in the skillet. Toss constantly until the beef is well coated, approximately 1 minute. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with rice.

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Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef with tender strips of crispy beef, sweet and savory notes from brown sugar and soy sauce, aromatic hints of garlic and ginger, and a mild heat from dried chiles.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

• ▢ 1.5 pounds beef flap meat trimmed and sliced thin
• ▢ 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 2 to 3 cups vegetable or peanut oil for frying
• ▢ 4 scallions: white parts finely chopped green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 3 to 5 dried árbol chiles about 2 inches each, stems removed, halved
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves finely minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 3/4 cup water
• ▢ 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 4 cups cooked jasmine or long-grain white rice

Instructions

• Freeze beef strips for 15 minutes, then slice thin and coat with cornstarch.
• Heat oil to 375°F in a Dutch oven. Fry beef in three batches until crispy, about 4 minutes per batch. Maintain oil temperature between batches. Drain beef on a wire rack.
• Heat 1 tablespoon frying oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook scallion whites, chiles, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, 30 seconds.
• Add water, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 6-8 minutes.
• Combine fried beef and scallion greens with sauce. Toss to coat, 1 minute. Serve with rice.