Curry, five-spice powder, oyster sauce, and lemon grass give a Vietnamese flair to beef stew with carrots and onions. Serve the stew with rice noodles and garnish with basil, lime, and hoisin sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) dried, crushed red pepper flakes or ground red pepper
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) salt
- 2 Tablespoons (30 mL) tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons (30 mL) oyster sauce
- 1-1/2 pounds (675 g) lean beef, cubed
- 2 Tablespoons (30 mL) oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 5 cups (1.25 L) water
- 5 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk lemon grass, stripped of outer leaves, cut in half and smashed
- 1 pound (450 g) flat rice noodles
- .
- Garnish:
- 5 sprigs basil
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- Lemon or lime quarters, to taste
- Hoisin sauce
Preparation:
In large bowl, mix together five-spice powder, curry powder, red pepper, salt, tomato paste, and oyster sauce. Marinate beef in this mixture for 15 minutes.
In large soup pot, heat oil and stir-fry garlic and onion until browned. Stir in marinated beef and continue to stir-fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Pour in water and bring to boil. Use ladle to skim foam. Add carrots and lemon grass, and simmer stew over medium heat until beef chunks are tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile cook rice noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, or until white and soft. Rinse; drain.
Serve stew with noodles and French bread. Garnish with basil and onion. Pass lime or lemon quarters and hoisin sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: The Vietnamese Cookbook by Diana My Tran (Capital Books)
Reprinted with permission.
In large soup pot, heat oil and stir-fry garlic and onion until browned. Stir in marinated beef and continue to stir-fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Pour in water and bring to boil. Use ladle to skim foam. Add carrots and lemon grass, and simmer stew over medium heat until beef chunks are tender, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile cook rice noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, or until white and soft. Rinse; drain.
Serve stew with noodles and French bread. Garnish with basil and onion. Pass lime or lemon quarters and hoisin sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Source: The Vietnamese Cookbook by Diana My Tran (Capital Books)
Reprinted with permission.
