Cong Bao Nik Rou or better known as “Mongolian Beef” is a dish I first sampled in Tenerife of all places. The Canary Isles boasts a large Oriental community with some first class eateries as well as fashion malls and electronic gadget outlets.
Cong Bao Nik Rou comes from the Mongolia, a mountainous harsh terrain whose peoples use a variety of sheep, goats, camels, and yaks as their main sources of meat.
It is by nature a frugal dish of tender meat with a sweet flavour and green onions. I chose this particular dish for something different for a early-mid week fake-a-way due largely to having a surplus steak from a family pack supplied by a local butcher.
There is a two part process to the cooking. Firstly marinating the strip of beef, followed by stir frying with the onions in a mix of garlic and ginger.
Ingredients
Marinade
1Tbs soy sauce
1Tps dark soy sauce
1/2 tps Osyter sauce
1Tsp Hoisin sauce
1Tps Chinese rice wine or Sherry (Madeira, even Port or Greek Metaxa 5*)
1Tps Cornflour aka cornstarch
1Tps sugar (brown but any will do – Canderel for the diabetics)
1/2Tps Sesame oil (olive will do or vegetable)
1/4Tsp Salt (to taste – better without)
3 dashes White Pepper
For the Wok
250g Beef – tenderloins, steaks, flap meat, cut into strips
2 1/2 Tbs oil – spray 1cal if doing SW
2 cloves of garlic minced
2.5cms (an inch) of fresh ginger peeled and sliced thinly
3 green onions cut into 5cm lengths (No scallions so I’m substituting Shallots).
Method
Place the mixed marinade ingredients in a zip lock bag with the beef, close and mix thoroughly. Allow to rest for a minimum of 15 minutes. If you have time overnight is good.
Warm the wok with 1Tbs of oil over a high heat and add the beef. Cook until brown and set a side on a plate.
Add the remaining oil adding the garlic and ginger, and combine. Add the beef and onions stir fry for a couple of minutes. Serve with your preferred boiled rice or noodles.
Alternatives
Add mange tout or sugar snap peas to add colour and texture. Cut back on the sugar, salt, and oil by trying Balsamic vinegar in the marinade and foregoing flour.
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Tags: Beef, Chinese, Easy, Fakeaway, Fast-food, Frugal, Ginger, hearty, Mid-week, Mongolian Beef, Noodles, Oriental, Quick, Rice, Steak