Growing up, there was this amazing Chinese restaurant a couple of blocks from my house - ocean kitchen- and it was wonderful. They recognized my voice whenever I would call in, and unless my mom, brother, and I were making a drastic change, they knew our exact order. To say we went there a lot, would be an understatement.

No other chinese restaurant in town compared to it.

Our go-to order always included mongolian beef, with broccoli instead of onions. Why? I’m not sure, we just ordered it that way. Loved the mongolian sauce the most, and it was probably my mom’s attempt at getting extra veggies in, and not just onions. Around here, onions are a bigger hit that broccoli, so that’s how we make it. (Not that I don’t make a mean spicy beef and broccoli, but that’s a discussion for another day).

Unfortunately, that restaurant has long since closed, and we have yet to find it’s equal.

Luckily for us, I’ve recreated an as close approximation of the original as I can, so we still get to enjoy it, all though not quite as often as I used to.

Ingredients:

2 lbs flank steak, pounded and sliced into bite sized strips

1 tsp salt

1 tsp trader joe’s onion salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp tapioca flour

3 Tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch knob ginger, grated

8 Tbsp coconut aminos

2 tsp fish sauce

1 bunch green onions, sliced on the bias

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss sliced beef with salt, tapioca, pepper, and onion salt, until coated.

In a small bowl, whisk together coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic and ginger.

In a large saucepan or wok, bring sesame oil to just shimmering. Add beef, tossing in oil.

Sauté until browned.

Add liquid and stir to combine.

Once liquid has thickened, remove from heat and toss with onions.