Another stir fry! Mongolian beef is sweet and savoury, strips of meltingly marinated steak, fried in a flash with zappy spring onions, ginger and garlic. So quick!
BEEF STIR FRY MARINADE
A stir fry sauce AND a marinade? Is that really necessary? Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes, it is. The secret is in the marinade. Actually, there are a few secrets in the marinade. Let me enlighten you (if you’re not already in on it). Marinating does THREE things:
- Adds moisture, which is important when cooking over high heats.
- Tenderises, which occurs when acidic ingredients are used like citrus, vinegar, or in this case soy sauce.
- Brings the flavour!
And the flavour is a sweet and savoury sensation! The classic duality found and beloved in Asian food. To achieve this balance with it being neither too sweet nor too salty, my marinade contains easy-to-remember equal parts:
- hoisin sauce- sweetish and tangy, a bit like a Chinese barbecue sauce!
- soy sauce- for a lashing of salt and to tenderise, of course.
- corn starch- to seal in moisture and to give the sauce something to grip on to.
- Shaoxing wine – to elevate from average to amazing
RECIPE TIPS AND NOTES
- It can be tempting to start reading the recipe and start cooking at the same time. I beg you to read the recipe first. Especially when it comes to stir fries! Understand the process, then prepare, then cook.
- There is no time to stop and chop! Make sure all your ingredients and measured, chopped, mixed and marinated before firing up the wok. And have everything in arm’s reach for a low-stress stir fry.
- In most Chinese beef recipes, baking soda is used to tenderise the meat. I’ve used good quality sirloin steak so there’s no need. If you choose skirt or flank steak, add ½ tsp of baking soda to the marinade.
- Chinese cooking wine, or Shoaxing wine, is worth the investment. Especially if you’re an Asian food fan. FYI- keeping it in the fridge after opening it will prolong the shelf life.
- I also invest in cheat’s ginger and garlic for keeping Asian dishes quick and snappy! They are time-saving heroes and are perfect in stir fries and curries alike. You can find them in some big supermarkets as well as Asian supermarkets.
- Don’t forget, stir fries are cooked over a high heat so crank it up! This will sear the meat making it smoky and tender-centred.
INGREDIENTS
- 450g / 1 lbs sirloin (rump steak in UK) cut against the grain into strips
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the stir fry sauce
- 120ml / ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
For the stir fry
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 green onions
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
-
Cut the steak against the grain into thin strips. At the bottom of a medium bowl combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking wine and vegetable oil, add the beef strips and mix to coat. Marinade for 30 minutes or for as long as it takes to prepare the rest of the ingredients if short on time.
-
In a small bowl mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside till needed.
-
In a large wok heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil till screaming hot, then add the marinated steak strips and brown on both sides. Once the beef is browned add the minced garlic and ginger and stir fry for 20-30 seconds, then add the sauce and stir to coat the beef. Finally add the green onions and stir to combine, simmer briefly until the sauce thickens and reaches desired consistency. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.