DELICIOUS SPICY MONGOLIAN BEEF RECIPE

I have made this recipe a few times now and each time I keep on thinking it would be absolutely delicious as a vegetarian meal.  Since we like things spicy I came up with this recipe to satisfy our taste buds.  

I have another recipe for PF Chang Copycat Mongolian beef for the instant pot.  It is delicious but I like this recipe a bit better.  If you like PF Chang's Mongolian beef and you should like this as well.  

It is super easy.  Yesterday I had plans to make Pasta e Fagioli but when I got the Italian sausage out of the freezer, I saw a pack of strip steaks that needed to be cooked.  Change of plans.  

It is always fun to play around in the kitchen and experiment with recipes.  I wish I had taken the time to take pictures so this recipe would be step by step for you to see.  I was too busy cooking and not thinking. 

You can have it without the mushrooms and/or the broccoli.  I use onions in mine as well.  I am liberal with the garlic and ginger.  

SPICY MONGOLIAN BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS AND BROCCOLI

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beef sliced into thin pieces
• 1/4 cup cornstarch - divided
• 1 cup water and 1/2 cup 
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 carton of mushrooms (optional)
• 1 onion (optional)
• 1 head of broccoli (optional)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoon sriracha
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

• Slice beef and coat in 1/8 cup of corn starch
• Warm pan on the stove and put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan.
• Dice onions and put them into the pan.  Cooking for 5 minutes.
• Move the onions to the side of the pan leaving the center open.  If need be, add more olive oil and put the beef in the pan to brown.
• While the beef is browning, pour water, soy sauce, and brown sugar into a small bowl and mix well.  Side aside.
• Slice the mushrooms.  
• Once the beef is browned add the liquid mixture and mushrooms to the pan.  
• Add garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, and sriracha to the pan and cover.  Cook on a low simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.  
• Add the last 1/2 cup of water and the 1/8 cup of cornstarch to a bowl to make a slurry.  Add this to the pan to thicken the dish.
• Chop broccoli and add to the pan and cover for 5 more minutes.  

We like it spicy but if you do not, just do not add the crushed red pepper flakes and sriracha.

Make sure you use garlic powder and NOT garlic salt.  You get enough salt in the reduced sodium soy sauce.  

If you are using fresh garlic verses garlic powder, I would use 2 or 3 cloves.  However, we love garlic.  I have found I prefer not to use fresh minced ginger.  If you have ginger paste that is fine.

I still think this dish would be awesome as a vegetarian dish and leave out the meat.  Or even chicken would be a good substitute for the beef.

I served mine with Jasmine rice made in my instant pot, recipe here.  

I hope you will make this recipe and give me some feed back.  

ENJOY!!