LEMONGRASS: I can't get enough

First it was lemongrass deodorant, then lemongrass vodka, and now lemongrass beef? What next? (Probably lemongrass tea, which is SO hard to find, right? Guess I'll have to make it myself.)

Anyway, you think I'd be sick of Vietnamese food after eating it for a month straight...well, I guess I cheated a lot. Man, I was surprised by the pizza in Vietnam. Quite delicious, actually! A huge improvement over when I was there 6 years ago when "lasagna" was nothing more than slices of American cheddar cheese and a can of Campbell's tomato soup. But ANYWAY, lemongrass beef is one of the easiest dishes you can make.

Here's how I make it...but I don't really measure stuff out so here's an approximation:

3-4 T of minced lemongrass (use a Cuisinart...huge time and CTS saver)
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
2 T Hoison sauce
1 T fish sauce
freshly grated black pepper
3 T Canola oil
1/2 lb. of thinly sliced beef

serve over:
rice vermicelli, cooked al dente

serve with:
cucumbers
cilantro
Thai basil

fish sauce:
2 parts fish sauce
1 part lime juice
2 parts hot water
sugar to taste
Thai chile, sliced
1 clove of garlic, sliced

lime soda:
2 T simple syrup
2 T lime juice
ice
sparkling water

I used skirt steak this last time and it was amazingly delicious. Cut against the grain and you'll have the most tender beef ever. Placing it in the freezer for an hour also helps you maintain control over your slices.

Mix all ingredients. Saute in a hot hot dry skillet for just a few minutes until just done.

Serve over rice vermicelli noodles and drizzle with fish sauce. For the fish sauce, dissolve about 2 T of sugar per half cup of water. My fish sauce changes every time because I don't accurately measure, but it's always good :) Fresh lime juice, ALWAYS.

For the lime soda, same thing...equal part simple syrup to lime juice, ice, and sparkling water. Yummy. A popular Vietnamese drink accompaniment to this dish as well as pho, except for some reason, no one ever uses simple syrup so all the sugar settles on the bottom!!! Don't make this mistake, unless you want to be really authentic :)

You can probably find more accurate measurements, but I'm too lazy to measure stuff (unless I'm baking.) Enjoy!!!

Wish you could have a bite,
Foodsnob