Mongolian Beef Fillets

When I started this blog more than a year ago, one of the first recipes I had written up was a 'beginner's' stir fry Mongolian Beef using mince meat.  Here is a premium version, using top of the range Australian beef fillet (tenderloin in the U.S).  A staple in Chinese restaurants the world over, I doubt if the dish really originated from Mongolia despite its name.  Beef fillet would be the most expensive cut of meat around in the supermarket.  For a special occasion and that melt-in-the-mouth tenderness and deliciousness of beef slices fried in hot oil then doused in a tantalising sweet and savoury sauce, it is perhaps justified to indulge once in a while.  This dish can be cooked in a wok or a large frying pan, but avoid overcrowding it by frying the beef in two batches so they turn out nicely crisp and caramelised.  Serve with steamed rice and vegetables.

Serves 4

 

 

INGREDIENTS

• 600g / 1lb 5oz beef fillet
• ¼ cup vegetable or peanut oil
• ½ cup cornflour
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dry chilli flakes
• 1 cup spring onions, sliced into 3cm / 1¼" lengths

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon black vinegar or rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoon water

METHOD

1. Slice partially frozen beef fillet into 1cm / ¼" thick slices.  Coat slices with cornflour and set aside on a plate.
2. Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a bowl.  Stir to dissolve sugar.
3. Heat half the oil in a wok on high until very hot.  Spread half of the fillets in a single layer in the pan and fry for 1 minute until the edges begin to brown.  Flip over and fry the other side until fully cooked.  Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain off excess oil.  Repeat with the other half of the beef.
4. With residual oil in the wok, sauté the ginger, garlic and chilli flakes on medium high heat for 1 minute until fragrant.  Return the cooked fillets to the pan and add the sauce.  Toss the fillets around for 1 minute in the pan until the sauce is bubbling and the slices are well coated.  Add the spring onions and sauté for another 30 seconds until just wilted.  Serve hot.

Source (with adaptations): Dilz Kitchen