Hello hi everyone! Wesley here. This is a recipe for a Crispy Mongolian Beef from PF Chang's that adds to our series on Chinese American food hacks, where we deconstruct Americanized Chinese classics, identify their American qualities, and reconstruct it with a more authentic and traditional approach to Chinese cooking. This dish is a super simple and delicious approach to a crispy flank steak stir fry that uses a corn starch coating for a crispy wok sear. Hope you try it!
Serves 2-3
INGREDIENTS (dry)
1 lb top cut angus sirloin steak
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ginger (about 1 inch)
2 green onions
1/2 medium sweet white onion
6-8 dried tianjin peppers
1/3 cup corn starch
corn starch slurry
INGREDIENTS (sauce)
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp black vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1/4 cup stock
INGREDIENTS (marinade)
4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or 2 tbsp full sodium soy sauce)
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp shaoxing wine
1/4 tsp corn starch
PREP
COMBINE all wet sauce ingredients, set aside
CRUSH AND MINCE the garlic, set aside
FINE MINCE the ginger, set aside
LARGE DICE the white onion, set aside
SEPARATE the green onions, then slice the whites thinly, and the greens into 1 inch planks, set aside
SLICE the angus steak into thin 1 inch strips against the grain, then combine with all marinade ingredients, and marinate for 30 minutes
REMOVE steak from marinade, coat in corn starch, and set aside
COMBINE 2 tbsp of corn starch with water into a corn starch slurry, set aside
ON THE STOVE
PREHEAT a wok as hot as possible, then add 4 tbsp of vegetable oil and long yao
ADD steak strips flat side down one at a time and sear for 3 minutes, then flip for an additional 2 minutes, and remove
WIPE down the wok, add an additional 4 tbsp vegetable oil, and long yao
ADD garlic, ginger, and the whites of the green onions and bloom until fragrant (about 15 seconds)
ADD tianjin peppers and toss for 30 seconds until fragrant
ADD onions and toss for 1-2 minutes until tender
ADD the seared steak, sauce mixture, and greens of the green onions and toss until combined
ADD corn starch slurry a little at a time until desired sauce thickness is reached
REMOVE and serve over rice