This past weekend we decided to go with an Asian themed meal. I made lemon grass beef with an Asian vegetable salad and rice noodles. This is one of my favorite dishes that I always order when we visit a local Vietnamese restaurant. I serve it layered in a bowl with a simple vegetable salad and rice noodles. This recipe may seem a little labor intensive; but trust me, the complexity of the flavor is worth the work!
I suggest that you cook the beef outside on a grill in a large pan to avoid the smoke and charred smell that may linger in your kitchen if you don’t have an extremely good exhaust hood. I also had to increase my recipe to feed 16 friends and family rather than the 4 people this recipe serves.
Here’s what you’ll for the beef:
- 1 Lb beef flank steak, sliced against the grain into 1/4″ thick strips
- 5 stalks lemongrass with outer leaves removed reserving middle section thinly sliced
- 1 Large onion cut in half and sliced
- 2 Thai red chilies (jalapeños can be substituted)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 Tablespoons fish sauce (can be purchased in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
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Here’s what you’ll need for the vegetable salad
- 1/2 Lb snow pea pods julienned
- 1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup green cabbage shredded
- 1/4 cup carrots shredded
- 1 cucumber peeled, seeded, and sliced
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1 Tablespoon fresh Thai basil roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh mint roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 Lb Asian rice vermicelli, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and cooked according to directions on package
Here’s what you’ll need for the dressing:
- Zest of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 red Thai chili minced
- 4 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Teaspoon lime juice
- 1 Teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
Combine lemongrass, chilies, salt, fish sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and garlic in food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely minced. In large mixing bowl combine beef with marinade, cover and place in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
When ready to prepare meal, remove beef from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour. Add remaining oil to a large pan over high heat and heat until just before smoking point. When pan is ready add beef and allow the beef to form a crust on bottom, about 2 minutes. Once crust has formed on one side, stir beef and continue cooking over high heat until most of beef is charred. Remove beef to a platter and cover loosely with foil. To pan add onions and cook until slightly charred. Combine beef and onions and set aside.
To prepare vegetable salad, combine cucumbers, carrots, snow peas, red bell pepper, cabbage, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts in a large salad bowl and set aside.
For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until blended. Pour half of the dressing over vegetable salad and toss.
In serving bowls place a serving of noodles in bottom of bowl, topping with vegetable salad, and finally the beef and onions. Pass remaining dressing around at table and allow everyone to drizzle a little over dish as needed. Enjoy!
