Mongolian beef is a popular Chinese American dish that consists of tender slices of beef coated in a sweet and savory sauce. The beef is commonly served over steamed rice or fried noodles. In this article, we will dive into the details of how Mongolian beef is traditionally served and some variations you may encounter.
Steamed Rice
The most common and traditional way to serve Mongolian beef is over a bed of steamed white rice. When served this way, Mongolian beef is often considered one of the quintessential Chinese American dishes found on takeout menus across the country.
Steamed white rice is the perfect base for Mongolian beef. It soaks up the rich, flavorful sauce and provides a neutral backdrop that doesn’t compete with the tastes and textures of the dish. The soft, steaming grains of rice complement the tenderness of the beef and create a balanced meal.
Rice is arguably the best pairing for Mongolian beef because of how well it absorbs flavors. The rice takes on the sweet, savory, and sometimes spicy essence of the sauce, rounding out each bite. Eating this dish over a bowl of rice provides the ultimate comfort food experience.
Steamed white rice has a mild taste and fluffy texture that allows the flavors and textures of the Mongolian beef to shine. While fried rice or other rice varieties could potentially pair well, plain white rice is a foolproof match that won’t overwhelm the dish.
How to Cook the Rice
Cooking the white rice is easy. Simply combine 1 cup of uncooked long grain white rice with 1 3/4 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
For best results, the rice should be freshly steamed right before serving. Refrigerating cooked rice causes it to dry out. Serving Mongolian beef over day old rice would take away from the delicious juiciness of the dish.
Fried Rice
While steamed white rice may be the most popular, Mongolian beef is also commonly served over fried rice. This addition brings a pleasantly greasy, salty, and textured base to the dish.
The brown crispy rice grains provide more substance than plain steamed rice. The bit of added crunch gives another texture component and makes the dish even more filling. Fried rice also readily absorbs the sauce.
Standard white fried rice works well, but many restaurants also offer Mongolian beef with special “house fried rice.” These renditions are seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and often scrambled egg, onions, peas, or other mix-in ingredients.
The flavors of garlic, ginger, and green onions are especially complementary in fried rice paired with Mongolian beef. They mirror the Chinese flavors present in the beef sauce.
How to Make Fried Rice
Fried rice is made by first cooking and cooling long grain white rice. Then, the rice is cooked again by sautéing it in oil with seasonings and other additions like vegetables, egg, etc. Main seasonings are often soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
When buying rice to make fried rice, it’s important to use regular long grain white rice rather than parboiled or converted rice varieties. Regular rice has a better capacity to fry up light and crispy.
Egg Noodles
Thin crispy egg noodles provide a satisfying base for Mongolian beef with their signature springy, bouncy texture. Egg noodles hold the beef sauce nicely and their neutral flavor doesn’t compete with the dish.
Cooks make egg noodles by mixing and kneading wheat flour eggs and water into a dough, then pulling and cutting the dough into thin strands. Their rich yellow color comes from the eggs.
Crispy pan-fried noodles or boiled then stir-fried noodles both pair deliciously with saucy Mongolian beef. The noodles provide hearty carbohydrate energy to balance this protein-based dish.
Chow Mein Noodles
A popular type of egg noodle to serve with Mongolian beef is chow mein. These noodles are wheat-based and made with egg, giving them their recognizable yellow color and supple texture.
Chow mein noodles have a great soft yet springy, chewy texture. Their flavor is mild, making them the perfect match for Mongolian beef without masking its taste. Crispy pan-fried or soft stir-fried chow mein noodles are ideal.
Lo Mein Noodles
Another classic choice is lo mein noodles. Similar to chow mein, lo mein noodles are egg-based wheat flour noodles. They are stretched thinner than chow mein and have a more delicate texture.
Lo mein noodles are usually boiled then stir-fried resulting in a supple, chewy noodle coated in the beef sauce. Their thin shape soaks up the sauce nicely. Lo mein is a common pairing with Mongolian beef on Chinese restaurant menus.
Rice Noodles
For those avoiding gluten, rice noodles make an excellent substitution to pair with Mongolian beef. Popular options include pad thai noodles, rice vermicelli, and cellophane noodles.
Thin rice noodles soak up the flavorful sauce nicely. Their translucent, smooth texture contrasts with the beef. Rice noodles made from rice and water provide a gluten-free pairing for Mongolian beef.
Rice noodles pair especially well when the Mongolian beef sauce has Southeast Asian influences like ginger, garlic, chili, or lemongrass. These flavors complement each other beautifully.
Cellophane Noodles
Also known as glass noodles or fensi, these very thin translucent noodles are made from mung bean starch or other starch sources like potatoes or tapioca. They have a wonderfully smooth, gelatinous texture.
Soaked then stir-fried, cellophane noodles are a unique gluten-free pairing for Mongolian beef. Their translucence lets the rich brown sauce shine. The slim noodles mix well with the slices of beef.
Rice Vermicelli
Rice vermicelli are thin rice noodles about twice as wide as cellophane noodles. They have a soft and slippery texture but with a subtle rice flavor.
Quickly soaked then stir-fried, rice vermicelli create a satisfying base for Mongolian beef. Their slightly more substantial size stands up well to the hearty beef compared to the delicate cellophane noodles.
Vegetables
In addition to rice or noodles, Mongolian beef is sometimes served with supplementary fresh vegetables on the side. This adds color, texture, nutrients, and fiber to balance the dish.
Pairing Mongolian beef with a medley of crisp vegetables helps cut the richness of the meat and sauce. Common choices include broccoli, carrots, snap peas, bell peppers, baby corn, snow peas, cabbage, and bok choy.
Blanching or stir-frying the vegetables lightly retains their crunch and bright flavor. They complement the tenderness of the beef and absorb drops of the tasty sauce.
Another way to incorporate vegetables is to include them mixed right into the Mongolian beef sauce. Onions, garlic, ginger, and green onions are traditional flavorings.
Broccoli
Broccoli florets make one of the most popular vegetable sides served with Mongolian beef. Fresh broccoli adds vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber.
Blanching or stir-frying broccoli until just crisp-tender ensures it still has its fresh flavor and bite. This pairs nicely with the texture of the beef and sauce. A sprinkling of sauce on the broccoli enhances the flavor.
Snap Peas
Sugar snap peas make a delicious choice to accompany Mongolian beef. These crunchy and sweet peas are high in vitamins A, C, and K.
Stir-fried with a little oil and salt, the snap peas offer a nice fresh counterpoint to the rich beef. They hold drops of sauce nicely in their pods. Just cook lightly to retain their signature crunch.
Chow Mein Vegetables
A traditional vegetable medley often served with Mongolian beef is chow mein vegetables. This mix typically contains crisp cabbage, celery, onions, bean sprouts, and sometimes carrots and peppers.
The vegetables are stir-fried separately then served as a bed for the beef or mixed together. The variety of colors, textures, and flavors balances and rounds out the meal beautifully.
Conclusion
In summary, Mongolian beef is most traditionally served over a base of warm, fluffy steamed white rice. The rice nicely soaks up the rich sauce and pairs well with the tender beef.
Fried rice and egg noodles like chow mein or lo mein also make excellent pairings, lending a pleasant additional texture to the dish. For gluten-free diners, rice noodles can substitute nicely.
Including a side of lightly cooked crisp vegetables helps balance the hearty beef. Broccoli, snap peas, cabbage, bok choy, and chow mein veggies are all classic choices.
However you choose to serve it, Mongolian beef paired with a base of rice, noodles, or veggies makes for a delicious, well-rounded meal.
The versatile dish pairs well with an array of sides and options to suit any tastes and dietary needs.