Okay, break out your woks – this Mongolian Beef is a keeper! My sister-in-law, Karen, recently sent me this recipe, and since everything she sends me is usually so yummy, I couldn’t wait to try it. This recipe is a copycat version of the Mongolian beef from the restaurant chain Pei Wei, whose parent company is P.F. Chang’s.  I basically took ingredients from both recipes, based what I already had in my pantry, and was extremely pleased with the results. And I took Karen’s suggestion and added an extra veggie, in this case snow peas, for extra crunch and color.

Since Brad and I like food with some heat, I used hot chili sesame oil and added crushed red pepper flakes for an extra kick. If you like milder dishes, use regular sesame oil and regular black pepper instead.

If you don’t have a wok, use a large skillet instead, and heat the oil to medium-high (you don’t want the oil to be too hot, though.)

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 teaspoons hot chili sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ½ cup water
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound flank steak
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 cups snow peas
• 4 green onions, sliced into one-inch pieces
• Crushed red pepper to taste

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, heat sesame oil to medium high. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a minute, frequently stirring.

Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and water and stir. Add the brown sugar, bring the sauce to a boil for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and enjoy how great your kitchen smells.

Place the flank steak on a large cutting board and cover it with plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound the steak until it’s evenly flattened to about 1/4 inch.

Slice the steak against the grain into bite-sized slices. Coat the pieces with the cornstarch and let the beef sit for at least 10 minutes to that the cornstarch sticks.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet to medium high. Add the beef and stir fry for a couple of minutes, just until it begins to darken on the edges.

Remove the beef from the wok and place it on paper towels.

Remove the oil from the wok, then return the beef and add the snow peas and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add the sauce and cook for another minute.

Stir in the green onions and season with the crushed red pepper.

Using a slotted spoon, place the beef mixture in a large serving plate. Serve with rice or noodles.

Thanks, Karen, for another great recipe. Keep them coming!

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

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