Cross-Cultural · China

Mongolian Beef (蒙古牛肉)

Name: Mongolian Beef (蒙古牛肉)
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb flank steak, sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch strips (450g); 2 tsp neutral oil, for marinade; 2 tsp Shaoxing wine, optional; 1 tsp soy sauce, for marinade; 1 tbsp cornstarch, for marinade; 1 tbsp water, for marinade; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 cup light brown sugar; 3/4 cups hot water or stock; 1/4 cup soy sauce, for sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce, optional, for color; 1/2 cup cornstarch, for dredging; 2/3 cups neutral oil, for searing; 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced; 8 dried red chili peppers, optional; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 scallions, whites and greens separated, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces; 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry

Crispy cornstarch-coated flank steak in a dark soy-brown sugar sauce with garlic, ginger, dried chilies, and scallions

chinesechinese-americanbeefcrispystir-fryscallionsweeknightcomfort-food

Jump to Recipe

Mongolian beef has nothing to do with Mongolia. In actual Mongolian cooking, meat is typically boiled and served with dipping sauces, not stir-fried in soy and sugar. The name is a Chinese-American invention, likely coined by a restaurant menu writer who needed something exotic-sounding for what is essentially a sweet soy sauce stir-fry with crispy beef and scallions.

None of which matters, because the dish is excellent. Flank steak is sliced thin, marinated with baking soda for tenderness, dredged in cornstarch, and seared in a hot wok until the coating is crispy. The sauce is brown sugar dissolved in hot water with soy sauce and a touch of dark soy for color. Garlic, ginger, and optional dried chilies go into the wok before the sauce, and scallions go in at the very end so they wilt just enough to soften without losing their color.

This version is intentionally less sweet than takeout. The brown sugar is balanced by the soy sauce and the heat from ginger and chilies. The scallions are generous, almost equal to the beef in volume, providing a fresh, sharp contrast to the rich, sticky sauce.

At a Glance

Yield

4 servings

Prep

35 minutes

Cook

10 minutes

Total

45 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

4 servings

1 lbflank steak, sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch strips (450g)
2 tspneutral oil, for marinade
2 tspShaoxing wine, optional (optional)
1 tspsoy sauce, for marinade
1 tbspcornstarch, for marinade
1 tbspwater, for marinade
1/4 tspbaking soda
1/4 cuplight brown sugar
3/4 cupshot water or stock
1/4 cupsoy sauce, for sauce
1 tspdark soy sauce, optional, for color (optional)
1/2 cupcornstarch, for dredging
2/3 cupsneutral oil, for searing
1 tspfresh ginger, minced
8dried red chili peppers, optional (optional)
3garlic cloves, finely chopped
4scallions, whites and greens separated, cut on diagonal into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 tbspcornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water for slurry

Method

1
Marinate beef with oil, wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, water, and baking soda for 1 hour.
2
Mix sauce: dissolve brown sugar in hot water, stir in soy sauces.
3
Dredge marinated beef in cornstarch.
4
Sear in hot oil, 1 minute per side until crispy. Remove to plate.
5
Drain oil, leave 1 tbsp. Add ginger and dried chilies (break 1-2 for more heat). After 15 seconds add garlic and scallion whites. Stir 15 seconds. Add sauce.
6
Simmer 2 minutes. Stir in cornstarch slurry until sauce coats a spoon.
7
Add beef and scallion greens. Toss 30 seconds. Sauce should cling with almost no liquid. Serve with rice.

Key Ingredient Benefits

Flank Steak: Lean, rich in protein, iron, and B12. Slicing thin against the grain shortens muscle fibers for tenderness.

Scallions: Used generously as a vegetable, not just a garnish. Barely wilted to keep their freshness.

Why This Works

Cornstarch dredge creates crispy shell. Brown sugar dissolved in hot water is already slightly caramelized. Dark soy adds color without salt. Scallions going in last and just wilting preserves their sharpness.

Substitutions & Variations

Dried chilies are optional. Less oil (3 tbsp) and saute for lighter version. Chicken or tofu work with the same sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with steamed rice, lo mein, egg drop soup, or sauteed broccoli.

Storage & Reheating

Store 2 days. Reheat in oven at 400°F 5-8 min or hot wok 1-2 min. Do not freeze.

Cultural Notes

Nothing to do with Mongolia, where meat is typically boiled. A Chinese-American invention. This version is intentionally less sweet than P.F. Chang's or typical takeout.