crispy mongolian beef

by tijuana, 04/05/2011

you know when you have that craving for a sweet and savory? that is exactly what i was feeling one night. mongolian beef was the first thing that popped into my head. so, we're ordering in (again) tonight, folks. keep your money in your pocket!

total Time: 40 minutes
prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes
yield: 6 servings

ingredients:

2 cups canola oil -
remaining 1 pound raw flank steak, sliced -
1 cup cornstarch -
3 cloves garlic - grated
1 teaspoon ginger - grated
1/3 cup soy sauce -
2 tablespoons brown sugar -
1/4 cup water -
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil -
1 teaspoon cornstarch -
4 scallions, sliced on the bias -

instructions:

this is a '3 in 1 meal'.
add oil to a wok or deep frying pan and preheat to 375 degrees.
season the steak with salt pepper to taste, then add it along with the cornstarch to a large ziploc bag. seal the bag and toss to coat. shake off excess cornstarch and place strips on a sheet tray lined with aluminum foil for about 10 - 15 minutes to allow cornstarch to adhere to the steak. add steak to hot oil and stir-fry briefly until crispy. discard oil. place the pan back on the burner to get hot again.
in a mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, water, sesame seed oil and cornstarch.
in the hot same wok or deep frying pan, add the sauce and let bubble and thicken for about 30 seconds. add the fried steak strips and scallions; toss to coat.