Mongolian Beef in the Pressure Cooker

Serves 6 in about 1 hour. Corn starch goes in first, and brown sugar finishes the pot.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 lbs flank steak, cut across the grain in 1" wide strips
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, canola, peanut, other neutral oil
• 8 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced (or 3 tsp powdered)
• ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine (mirin), or rice wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, (or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper)
• ¾ cup water, divided
• 5 green onions, chopped in 1" pieces (not pictured)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Method

1. Tip in the corn starch to a large plastic zip closure bag, or to a bow. Tip in the beef slices and coat them in the corn starch. Set them aside.
2. Turn on the pressure cooker's highest Sauté setting. When it is hot, add the oil.
3. Stir in the beef in one layer and brown both sides. You will need to do this in two batches so the meat isn't crowded. You are just browning the meat, it will not be fully cooked at this point. Lift out to a plate and keep it nearby.
4. While the beef is browning, to a large measuring glass/cup add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup of the water. Stir well. keep it nearby.
5. Stir in remaining ½ cup of water to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglaze).
6. Stir in the sauce and green onions to the pot and stir.
7. Cancel the sauté setting and add the beef and any liquid on the plate back into the pot.
8. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
9. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 10 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
10. While the beef is cooking, mix together the corn starch and water for thickening. keep it nearby.
11. When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 instant natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
12. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
13. Tip in the brown sugar, stir well.
14. Turn on the sauté setting (normal heat), then stir the beef and sauce. When it starts to simmer, pour in the corn starch slurry. You may not need to use it all. Then turn off the pot.
15. Plate immediately over some hot cooked rice.

More instant pot ideas are in the instant pot collection.