Grilled Lemongrass Beef
Bo Nuong Vi - Vietnam
In Vietnamese homes,
these tangy morsels of seared beef are grilled at the table over a charcoal
brazier. The beef strips can be served as a main dish wrapped in rice paper with
vegetables, noodles and herbs; as a topping for cold noodles; or with a plate of
steamed rice.
1 lb (500 g) beef
chuck, rump or sirloin, in one piece
Lemongrass Marinade
1 tablespoon sesame
seeds
2 lemongrass
stalks, tender heart section only, finely chopped
3 shallots,
minced
3 cloves garlic
1 fresh small red chili
pepper, seeded
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fish
sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly
ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame
oil
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable
oil
Fish
sauce and lime dipping sauce
Wrap the beef in plastic
wrap and place it in the freezer until partially frozen, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the
marinade: Place the sesame seeds in a small, dry frying pan over medium heat and
toast until fragrant and golden, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a blender or
mini food processor and add the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, chili pepper and
sugar. Process to a smooth paste. Pour the paste into a large bowl and stir in
the fish sauce, black pepper, sesame oil and peanut or vegetable oil.
Cut the partially frozen
beef across the grain into slices about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, 2 inches (5 cm)
wide and 5-6 inches (13-15 cm) long. Add the slices to the lemongrass marinade
and toss to coat. Let marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or cover
and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Prepare the dipping
sauce; set aside.
Prepare a fire in a
charcoal grill. When the coals are ash white, lay the beef slices flat on the
grill rack about 4 inches (10 cm) above the coals. (Alternatively, preheat a
ridged grill pan on the stove top over medium-high heat until hot and spread the
beef slices over the hot grill.) Grill, turning once, until cooked through,
about 30 seconds on each side.
Transfer the beef slices
to a platter and serve with the dipping sauce.
Per
Serving
Calories: 268
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fat: 14g
Sodium: 679mg
Cholesterol: 46mg
Protein: 17g