Lemongrass Beef

I had bought some fresh lemongrass at the asian supermarket so i was excited to cook something with it as i really like the flavor of lemongrass. And maybe also for the fact that I miss eating some Vietnamese food.

Recipe adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016865-vietnamese-lemon-grass-beef-and-noodle-salad

Serves: 3-4

Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the Dipping Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons Demerara or granulated light brown sugar

  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 4 tablespoons lime juice, from 2 large limes

  • 4 tablespoons best quality fish sauce, such as Red Boat

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 1-inch length ginger, peeled and minced

  • 1 medium-hot red chile, such as Fresno, chopped

  • 1 hot red or green bird chile, thinly sliced (Fresh chillies are the best, I didn’T have fresh chillies on hand so i used 1 tsp of crushed chillies, not as spicy but an easy SUBSTITUTE)

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 12 ounces rice vermicelli noodles

  • 1 pound beef skirt steak or sirloin, in thin 1/4-inch slices

  • 2 tablespoons best quality fish sauce, such as Red Boat

  • 1 tablespoon Demerara or granulated light brown sugar

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 3 tablespoons or more finely chopped lemongrass, tender centers only (i would have double the amount of lemongrass as i like a stronger flavor)

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 4 scallions, slivered

  • 1 medium carrot, cut in 3-inch lengths, julienned (about 1 cup)

  • 1 small cucumber, 3-inch lengths, julienned (about 1 cup)

  • 1 3-inch length daikon radish, julienned (about 1 cup) or a couple of regular radishes, sliced thin (I also soaked them in a little vinegar, sugar, and water to pickle them a bit)

  • 4 tablespoons crushed roasted peanuts (optional)

  • Mixture of cilantro sprigs, mint leaves, basil leaves and small perilla (shiso) leaves, about 3 cups (optional)

  • Small handful bean sprouts or sunflower sprouts (optional)

Method:

  1. Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl combine sugar, rice vinegar and lime juice and stir to dissolve. Add fish sauce, garlic, ginger, chiles and 1/2 cup water and stir together. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (May be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.)

  2. Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add rice noodles, stir and turn off heat. Let noodles soften (5 to 8 minutes, depending on brand), then drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.

  3. marinate the beef: combine beef, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and lemon grass in a bowl. Massage seasoning into beef and let sit for 15 minutes.

  4. Line a serving bowl or four individual large wide soup bowls with the noodles.

  5. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. When wok is nearly smoking, add beef and quickly stir-fry until lightly browned and just cooked, about 2 minutes. Work in batches if necessary so meat browns and doesn’t steam. (If you do not have a wok, you may use a cast iron skillet and work in batches.)

  6. Top noodles with cooked beef, scallions, carrot, cucumber and daikon. Sprinkle with herbs and crushed peanuts. Drizzle lightly with dipping sauce and pass remaining sauce at table.

it was good, but for next time I will definitely add more lemongrass into the mixture. or maybe the lemongrass i had bought wasn’t that strong in flavor. either way it is quite a simple dish to make and it is very refreshing as there are fresh elements such as the carrots, radish, and cucumber. and some sour elements from the lime in the dipping sauce and the lemongrass on the beef. i guess i was also craving or missing some vietnamese food, which can be very hard to find here in germany. so sometimes cooking it is the closest i can get to fulfilling that craving.

an easy meal to make but you must have fish sauce, that is the key ingredient in this dish and well for most vietnamese food.



cooking, dinner, vietnameseJackie Wonglemongrass, beef, noodleComment