Medium | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 15 min | Serves: 2–3

Mongolian beef is one of those dishes that sounds like takeaway but is actually embarrassingly easy to make at home — and better, because you can control the sweetness and use real ingredients. Thinly sliced beef, caramelised in a sticky soy-brown sugar sauce with enough garlic and ginger to make your kitchen smell like the best Chinese restaurant on the street.

Ingredients

  • 400g flank steak (or sirloin), sliced thin against the grain
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce (or more regular soy sauce)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 120ml water
  • Rice, to serve

Method

  1. Prep the beef Toss the sliced beef with the cornflour until evenly coated. This helps it crisp and thickens the sauce later.

  2. Sear the beef Heat the neutral oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until smoking. Add the beef in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sear for 1–2 minutes per side until browned and slightly crispy. Remove and set aside.

  3. Make the sauce In the same wok, reduce heat to medium. Add the sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauces, brown sugar, and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.

  4. Combine Return the beef to the wok. Add the spring onions. Toss everything together for 1–2 minutes until the beef is coated in a glossy, sticky sauce.

  5. Serve Over steamed rice. Immediately.

Cook With Your Senses

Inspired by Ethan Chlebowski’s sensory approach to cooking — the idea that your senses should tell you more than a timer ever could.

  • Look: The beef should have a dark sear with crispy edges from the cornflour coating. The sauce should be thick, glossy, and clinging to every piece — not pooling at the bottom.
  • Listen: The wok should roar when the beef goes in. If it’s quiet, the oil isn’t hot enough and you’ll get steamed beef instead of seared.
  • Smell: When the ginger and garlic hit the hot oil, you should get an immediate aromatic hit. That’s the flavour base of the whole dish.
  • Touch: A piece of finished beef should feel slightly crispy on the outside but tender when you bite through.
  • Taste: The sauce should balance sweet, salty, and savoury. If it’s too sweet, add a splash more soy. If it’s too salty, a pinch of sugar will round it out.

Notes

  • Slice the beef thin and against the grain. Pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes first to make slicing easier.
  • Dark soy sauce adds colour and depth. If you don’t have it, use all regular soy sauce but add a teaspoon of molasses or honey.
  • Don’t overcook the spring onions — they should still have some bite.
  • If you like heat, add some dried chilli flakes or a sliced fresh chilli to the sauce.

Inspiration

Adapted for Ryan’s kitchen. Original inspiration: thewoksoflife.com