Now this is a dish I can't seem to ever get tired of

Cooktop Cove: Now this is a dish I can't seem to ever get tired of

By Matt Jenner

Bring the flavors of the East to your kitchen tonight with this sweet and spicy Mongolian ground beef dish, cooked right in your slow cooker. This modernized version of the Chinese-American staple starts off in a skillet, and then finishes low and slow in the Crock-Pot until the beef and vegetables are fully cooked and the Mongolian sauce is thickened.

While a traditional Mongolian beef dish uses sliced steak, the recipe below instead uses lean ground beef, making the dish more cost-efficient and easier to eat for younger kids. It's perfect to make for any family night at home or when you don't have the time or energy to go out to a Chinese restaurant. With this dish, it's truly "set it and forget it!"

Slow Cooker Mongolian Ground Beef

10 mins

3 hrs

3 hrs 10 mins

1 pound 80/20 ground beef

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons ground ginger

3/4 cup soy sauce

½ cup water

1 tablespoon chili sauce or red chili flakes (optional)

5 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Sesame seeds, to garnish

In a medium skillet, add the ground beef and cornstarch, and cook over medium-high heat. Sauté until the beef is fully browned, about 3-5 minutes.

Pour the cooked ground beef into the slow cooker. Add the vegetable oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, carrots and chili sauce or flakes (optional). Stir inside the slow cooker until everything is well-mixed.

Cover the slow cooker, and cook on high power for 3 hours. Avoid opening the lid until at least 2 ½ hours through. After then, you may remove the lid and stir. If the beef is too dry, add another ¼ cup water.

Allow to cook for the remainder of the time, until the sauce has thickened and starts to simmer along the edges.

Remove the lid, and serve in individual bowls with fresh- steamed white or brown rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Pro-tip: Adding cornstarch to the beef at the beginning of cooking helps give the Mongolian sauce a thick consistency.

Pro-tip: Substitute sliced flank steak for ground beef for a more traditional Mongolian beef.