Conference turris::cooks

2930.0. "Mongolian Beef" by STAR::DIPIRRO () Mon Feb 25 1991 14:17

	What follows is a recipe for Mongolian Beef which I extracted off
the Usenet and made over the weekend. It was very good...and an adventure
since I'd never dealt with cellophane noodles before. The recipe also calls
for 2-3 Tb of minced garlic which I thought must have been a misprint. I used
1 Tb instead, and it seemed about right to me.
	The next time you're having Mongolians over for dinner, I suggest
serving them this. Add to this a side order of cold sesame noodles as I did,
and your breath will stop traffic for several days...

Article        26361
From: [email protected] (Carol Miller-Tutzauer)
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
Subject: Re: REQUEST:  Mongolian Beef
Date: 22 Feb 91 17:58:24 GMT
Sender: [email protected]
Organization: University at Buffalo
 
Here is a recipe I have posted previously to food.rec.recipes:
 
--------------
Mongolian Beef -- Taken from Szechuan & Northern Cooking:  From 
--------------    Hot to Cold by Rhoda Yee (Pub by Taylor & Ng, 
                  San Francisco, 1982) 
 
3/4 lb flank steak 
Meat marinade: 
      1-2 egg whites, lightly beaten 
      1 T cornstarch 
      2 t oil 
      1 t sherry 
      1/2 t salt 
      A few dashes of white pepper 
Sauce mixture: 
      4 T Kikkoman (or equivalent) soy sauce 
      1 1/2 T sugar 
      1 T dark soy sauce 
      1 T sesame oil 
      1 T sherry 
      1 t white vinegar 
      1/2 t hot bean sauce 
      1/2 t sweet bean sauce 
      1/2 to 1 t dried chili pepper, crushed 
      2 to 3 T garlic, minced 
1/2 oz. (1 small package or less) bean thread *** optional, see note below *** 
6 large green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths 
3 to 5 (or less for mild) dried chili peppers 
2 c oil 
1 t cornstarch mixed with 2 t water 
 
Note:  The Mongolian Beef mixture is served on top of the fried
cellophane (bean thread) noodles.  Therefore, you may omit them
if you like.  However, they make for a very dramatic presentation.
They also soak up the delicious sauce from the beef.
 
      Cut flank steak cross-grain into 1/8-inch slices.  Mix with meat marinade. 
Combine sauce ingredients. 
      In wok, heat 1 1/2 cups oil to very hot.  Deep fry bean threads (they will
puff up instantly).  (Warning:  Do only a few of the DRY bean threads -- alias
cellophane noodles -- at a time; they expand dramatically.)  Set fried bean
threads aside on paper toweling.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil (this is to cool
down the oil already in the wok).  Make sure it is now no hotter than 250 deg
Fahrenheit.  To test, place a piece of beef in the oil.  It should just BARELY
sizzle.  Deep fry beef in two separate batches until just done, about 10 seconds. 
Drain off all but 2 T oil.  Throw in the 3 or so dried chili peppers (if
desired).  Pour in sauce mixture and let it reduce for 2 minutes over high heat. 
Add beef and stir until well mixed.  If the sauce appears a bit thin, add a
little of the cornstarch/water mixture to thicken.  Add green onions for 15
seconds.  Place beef on top of bean threads and serve. 
 
Comments: 
      This is a wonderfully rich and velvety dish.  The beef is cooked by the
velveting method and, if done properly, will melt in your mouth.  I tried stir
frying the beef instead of using the velveting method and it didn't have the same
texture.  If you have two woks, cook the sauce in one while cooking the beef in
the other.  It'll go much faster.  If the taste is too hot, decrease the chili
peppers. 
      Also, you can omit serving this on the bed of fried bean threads.  Though
they are very good because they sop up the great sauce. 
 
****************************************************************************
 
Carol (riacmt@ubvms)