Going Mongolian in my Aunt's Place

Sundays are always special at my Aunt's place. Once a week, everyone gets together to share fun times and great food. And the Dude's nephew just arrived from Australia to spend the holidays here, enough reason to celebrate and spend some good times and good food. And for this Sunday, the Dude's aunt goes Mongolian. Very cool.

What can be more fun than creating your own bowl, selecting your own ingredients and then cooking it? Mongolian barbecue involves stir-frying meat, seafood and vegetables on a super-heated cast iron griddle or pan, allowing all the ingredients to cook evenly and blend all the flavors.

The first step is to prepare your very own sauce base, by combining a soy based sauce, a sweet teriyaki blend and a chili soy sauce. You can vary the amount of heat by adding more of the chili sauce to suit your taste. Other condiments include chopped garlic, ground peanuts, brown sugar, and sesame oil.

Then layer the bowl with vegetables like bean sprouts and cabbage. You may also add onions, sliced carrots and other vegetables. The great thing about this type of meal is that anything goes, really.

Then add some thinly sliced beef, shrimps, chicken and squid (partially covered on the top left). You may add other items like pork and oysters, or other seafood. You then add some freshly cooked rice to bind all the ingredients together. You may also opt for glass noodles or go all meat or seafood with vegetables combination.

Then your bowl is smartly labeled by my Aunt's cook with a washable marker (my Aunt's cook is a genius), and the stir-fry assembly line begins...with the contents of your bowl going directly on a hot griddle or pan as you wait in anticipation. 

After a few minutes, your bowl is ready, fresh off the griddle...

Going for seconds? Definitely.

In the end, it's all about family, and great meals simply strengthens the bond. Good food and good times. Yup, Sundays at my Aunt's place is pretty awesome.

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