One Pot Mongolian Beef with Veggies and Rice
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup water
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 Serrano chile, seeded and diced
1 cup Vegetable oil
1½ pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup snow peas
1 1/2 cup long grain white rice (not instant rice)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
salt and pepper to taste
chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large (12 inch) and deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir to combine. When simmering, add in the water, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Stir to combine and then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes (see note below)
While sauce is simmering, place sliced flank steak into a medium bowl. Toss beef in cornstarch and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit while the sauce simmers.
Once sauce is thickened to your liking (the longer you simmer the thicker it will get), pour into a heat safe bowl and set aside.
Return skillet to medium/high heat and pour in the 1 cup vegetable oil. Cook the steak in batches, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Allow it to be just a bit undercooked for your liking, because it will continue cooking in the oven. Be sure to flip to make sure both sides cook. When each batch is finished, place it on a paper towel lined plate to drain. During the last batch, add in the veggies as well and cook them until brighter in color and a bit soft. They will also continue to cook in the oven, so no need to cook them all the way through.
When all the flank steak has cooked, place in a large bowl and marinate in the sauce.
Drain the oil from the skillet, its okay if a bit remains. Add the rice, water, and chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove the steak from the sauce, reserving the sauce for serving. Add the steak directly into the rice/water. Some will be submerged, and that’s fine. Add the veggies around the steak.
Cover and cook in the oven (350F) for 25 minutes. Remove cover and cook for another 5-10 more minutes.
Garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, and of course lots of sauce.
Enjoy!
Note: You can make the sauce ahead of time and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Slightly adapted from thecookierookie.com