Mongolian Beef (Without Using a Wok)

Step 1

Combine flank steak, Shaoxing wine, and salt in a large bowl. Gently mix well with your hand. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

Step 3

When you’re ready to cook, add the cornstarch to the marinated beef. Mix to coat all the beef pieces with cornstarch.

Step 4

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet until hot. Spread the steak with minimal overlapping. Use a pair of tongs to rearrange the beef, if necessary. Let cook for 1 minute without moving, or until the bottom turns golden brown. Flip and cook the other side, 40 seconds or so, until golden but the inside still a bit pink. Transfer the steak to a big plate.

Step 5

If there is a lot of oil left in the pan, use a couple layers of kitchen paper towel held in a pair of tongs to remove extra oil, leaving 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.

Step 6

Add the ginger, garlic, and the white part of the green onion into the skillet. Cook and stir for 30 seconds to release the fragrance.

Step 7

Stir the sauce again until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour into the pan and immediately stir with a spatula. The sauce will thicken very quickly, in a couple seconds. Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with the green part of the green onion. Cook and stir a few more times to mix well. Transfer everything to a plate immediately.

Step 8

Serve hot over steamed rice as a main.