Mongolian beef is a common Chinese takeout dish often made with thin slices of flank steak. When researching recipes online, many use ginger, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. There are often green onions involved, sometimes other veggies. Here, I obviously took many liberties. First and foremost, I transformed the stir-fry steak dish into a meatball and ramen skillet. One thing I kept the same: cornstarch. It makes the meat crispy and caramelized on the outside, and it helps thicken the sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 packages instant ramen - flavor pack discarded
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound sirloin steak - sliced against the grain
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken - or beef broth
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 large head broccoli - cut into florets
- 1 carrot - peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 3 green onions - thinly sliced
- toasted sesame seeds - for garnish
Instructions
- Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.
- Toss beef with cornstarch.
- Add to skillet and cook until seared about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add sesame oil to skillet and stir in garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Add soy sauce, brown sugar, and broth. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add broccoli and carrots then cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Return beef to skillet and stir until completely coated in sauce.
- Stir in cooked ramen noodles and green onions.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.