Mongolian Beef (Healthy Chinese Food!)

I love Chinese food. I love eating with chopsticks. I love the soups, the sauces, and the fast and fresh style of cooking. I love the deep meaty flavors. So, my awakening to the ubiquitous use of rancid plant oils in most restaurant Chinese food was heartbreaking – to put it mildly. Fortunately, Asian cooking lends itself easily and gracefully to Real food ingredients. I can now relax knowing I have more than a few healthy Chinese food recipes (including this Mongolian beef) up my silken sleeve.

 Mongolian beef ingredients

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons pasture raised tallow (+ 4 tablespoons tallow for frying steak)*
• 1 teaspoon ginger, peeled & grated
• 1 teaspoon garlic, peeled & grated
• 1⁄4 cup good quality soy sauce
• 1⁄4 cup beef stock
• 1⁄2 cup honey (I suggest buckwheat honey for this dish)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot**
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 lb. flank steak

Mongolian beef method

1. Chop green onions in 1-inch lengths with diagonal ends, separating the white from the green parts. Or, if you have someone at your table who does not care for large chopped onions, dice the whole green onion small.
2. Slice the flank steak against the grain in ¼” thick, bite-size strips.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons tallow over medium heat until it is hot but not smoking.
4. Cook the steak strips while stirring for 3-7 minutes. Remove from the pan with slotted spoon just before they reach your desired doneness. The steak will continue to cook once removed from the pan and set aside.
5. And white parts of green onions to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add green ends to pan and sauté for a minute more. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside with steak. Or, if diced, sauté white and green parts together for 3-4 minutes. 

Mongolian beef sauce method

1. Dice or set your food processor to shred/grate and process the peeled ginger and garlic.
2. Melt the toasted sesame oil and tallow in a pan on medium stove heat.
3. Add the chili flakes, garlic and ginger to the pan and stir for 1 minute taking care not to allow the garlic to burn.
4. Add the beef stock and soy sauce to the pan and bring to the simmer
5. Add the honey to the simmering sauce and using a whisk, dissolve the honey into the sauce.
6. While the sauce simmers and reduces slightly, take ¼ cup very warm water and stir in 1 tablespoon arrowroot. Add this to your sauce and stir continuously until sauce thickens.
7. Add the onions to the sauce.
8. Add the steak to the sauce and immediately serve over sprouted rice cooked in beef bone broth, or shredded veggies.

Chef's notes:

*You may use coconut oil if you do not have tallow.

**Use more arrowroot if you want a thick and gelatinous sauce.

“Mongolian Beef (Healthy Chinese Food!)” was generously contributed by Monica Ford of Real Food Devotee. Monica's recipes will make your mouth water and your tummy purr. If you're lucky enough to live in Los Angeles, Real Food Devotee can make your life easier by delivering nutrient dense goodies directly to your door.

photo credit: An Eye Full Studio

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