Spicy Mongolian Beef with Asparagus

Looking at this picture, my first thought is "Ok, I need to start taking my pictures with a real camera and NOT my iPhone", which I suppose doesn't bode well for this post. Let me plead on behalf of this recipe though. IT IS SO STINKIN GOOD!!! I'm not much of a beggar, so there you go. I am good at comparing, though, and I thought this was way better than the time I ate at PF Changs. Just sayin.



SPICY MONGOLIAN BEEF WITH ASPARAGUS

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs hoisin sauce
2 Tbs sesame oil
4 tsp sugar
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs red pepper flakes
2 lbs beef, thinly sliced(recipe calls for flank steak, I used tri-tip and would recommend steak in general)
1/3 cup cornstarch
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 lb asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces

Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and red pepper flakes. Put sliced beef in ziplock bag and add marinade. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight. Heat a large frying pan over high heat until very hot. Just before ready to fry, add cornstarch to the bag of beef and marinade and squish around until combined. Add a few tablespoons of oil, such as peanut or canola, to the hot pan. Add the green onions and cook for 5-10 seconds before adding in the beef. You'll need to cook the meat in two batches, so that it will brown nicely and not boil in its own juices. Cook and stir the beef until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Drizzle in a few more tablespoons of oil, and add in the asparagus. Fry until beginning to get some carmelization. Taste one; if it's too crunchy for your taste, add in a little water and cover with a lid, then let steam for a few minutes until it's to your liking. Add to the beef. Serve with rice.