Mongolian barbecue

Mongolian barbecue (Chinese: 蒙古烤肉; pinyin: Měnggǔ kǎoròu) is a stir fried dish that was developed in Taiwanese restaurants beginning in the early 1950s. Meat and vegetables are cooked on large, round, solid iron griddles at temperatures of up to 300 °C (572 °F). Despite its name, the cuisine is not Mongolian, and is only loosely related to barbecue.

Although Mongolian barbecue first appeared in Taipei in 1951, the stir-frying of meats on a large, open surface is supposed to evoke Mongolian foods and Mongolian traditions. The preparation can also derive from Japanese-style teppanyaki, which was popular in Taiwan at the time. One of the oldest Mongolian Barbecue restaurants (Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ) was opened in the 1960s, and is located in downtown Taipei, Taiwan. As Mongolian Barbecue became more popular, it was successfully introduced to the West.

American restaurants, such as HuHot Mongolian Grill and BD's Mongolian Grill, claim that soldiers of the Mongol Empire gathered large quantities of meat, prepared them with their swords and cooked them on their upturned shields over a large fire. A German restaurant chain with the same concept claims that the Mongolian soldiers cooked their meals on a heated stone.

Typically, diners select a variety of raw ingredients from a display of thinly sliced meats (beef, pork, lamb, turkey, chicken, shrimp) and vegetables (cabbage, tofu, onion, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.). The bowl of ingredients is handed to the chef who adds the diner's choice of sauce, then transfers them to the grill.

The round shape of the grill allows two or more chefs to cook food simultaneously, and to cook quickly due to the thinly sliced ingredients, so the food is typically cooked in one revolution of the grill. Oil or water may be added to ease cooking. The ingredients are stir-fried continuously over the high heat and all food remains identifiable and intact.

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Wikipedia