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Mongolian Beef
Chinese Dragon

Mongolian Beef

📍 China

Tender beef with spring onion in a sweet-savoury soy and garlic sauce.

💬 Tell us on the Wall

Sweet-savoury beef with a name that’s a delicious misdirection.

The ritual

Mongolian Beef

  1. 1

    Velvet the beef

    Beef slices are coated in starch to turn silky and tender.

  2. 2

    Flash-fry

    The beef hits hot oil briefly to lock in its juices.

  3. 3

    Soy-brown-sugar sauce

    Soy, brown sugar and garlic build a sweet-savoury glaze.

  4. 4

    Plenty of scallions

    A handful of spring onions is tossed in last, staying fresh and crisp.

A journey through time

Mongolian Beef

  1. lata 50.

    Mongolian BBQ in Taipei

    “Mongolian BBQ” is invented in Taipei by comedian and restaurateur Wu Zhaonan.

  2. ✦

    An exotic name

    The name was chosen for effect — the dish isn’t from Mongolia at all.

  3. ✦

    Journey to America

    It reaches Chinese-American restaurants as a sweet-savoury classic.

  4. dziś

    A menu favourite

    Today it’s a menu favourite around the world.

Good to know

Not actually Mongolian

The dish was born in Taiwan, not Mongolia.

Sweet-savoury depth

Brown sugar and soy give its signature savoury depth.

Velvety beef

The “velveting” technique keeps the beef remarkably tender.