Vietnamese  beef  bowl

This is one of my new found favorites. The combination of the beef, lime juice, fresh herbs and fish sauce are absolutely amazing in this dish.

Makes about 4 servings

Marinade for the beef

1 lb of beef (filet, tenderloin or flank steak. Thinly sliced into strips)
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1 teaspoon of fish sauce
1 teaspoon of five spice powder
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
1 lemongrass stalk (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce (found in the international aisle)

Dressing

The juice of 6 limes
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of sugar
3 teaspoons of fish sauce
2 small garlic cloves (minced)
1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce

Additions

1 lb box of rice noodles or vermicelli
3 tablespoons of roasted unsalted peanuts (chopped)
2 shallots (thinly sliced)
1 cup of fresh mint, cilantro & basil (sliced into thin strips)

I am using filet steaks which I have sliced into thin strips. Tenderloin or flank will do as well. Either way what you don't want to do is overcook the beef otherwise it will become tough.

I love lemongrass and the wonderful aroma that it carries. And with beef it is absolutely amazing. For the marinade chop the lemongrass and add it to the beef.

Mince the garlic and add it to the beef along with the fish sauce.

Then add in the sesame oil, oyster sauce and five spice powder.

Then the chili garlic sauce and the sugar. Mix all of the ingredients into the beef until well combined and place it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Now let's work on the toppings. Slice the shallots into thin strips.

Fry the shallots in a few tablespoons of olive oil on medium to high heat until the shallots develop crispy edges. Drain them on a paper towel and set aside.

Roughly chop the peanuts. This will add texture to the dish. Remove the stems from the fresh cilantro, basil and mint and slice them into strips taking care not to bruise the leaves. Rinse them in cold water and drain them on a paper towel.

For the dressing juice the limes and add in the olive oil and fish sauce.

Now add in the sugar, chili sauce and minced garlic. Stir to combine and set it aside.

I am using rice noodles or vermicelli which you can find in the international aisle . They only take about 3-4 minutes to cook in boiling water. Once drained rinse them under cold water to ensure that the noodles will not stick together.

In a large skillet add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil on medium to high heat. When the oil begins to smoke add in the marinated beef. We don't want to overcook it so we only want to cook the beef for about 2-3 minutes stirring it occasionally. Combine the noodles with the beef and the dressing. Then add the toppings and serve.

Bon appetit!