Barbecue - Mongolian

You may well be asking yourself exactly what a Mongolian barbecue is. That's not surprising, as the subject isn't as widely developed here in the west as other forms of barbecue. However, it's a fascinating story, although whether it's true or not is anybody's guess. The legend has it that in the thirteenth century Genghis Kahn of Mongolia invaded China, so much we know is true. Because the Mongol horde travelled every day and lived off the land, it was a constant threat to the people who lived in its path. Equally the soldiers never got to put up tents or settle down for a couple of days to do their washing and mending and so on, all the maintenance of an army had to be done overnight, or on horseback. As a result, the soldiery (or more likely, the Mongol and captured women who travelled with them as camp followers) learned to set meat and vegetables on metal plates that cooked over the campfires. The scouts and other leaders of the army adopted this technique, by using the concave surface of their metal shields as a dish which could be used over campfires.

Here's a recipe, without shield or army, for you to try at home!

Mongolian Beef

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoons red wine
• 500 grams beef steak, sliced thinly
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 500 grams onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine the soy sauce and wine. Add the flank steak. Marinate for thirty minutes. Heat the oil in a frying pan until smoking. Add the garlic and then the beef, stir-frying for three or four minutes. Pour in the onions, vinegar, brown sugar and pepper, continuing to stir-fry until the beef is cooked. Add sesame oil.

Barbecue Mongolia photograph by Krisandapril, used under a creative commons attribution licence.

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