Vietnamese Beef

Vietnamese Beef and Rice Stick

Although this is a popular Vietnamese “salad,” our family eats it warm as an entree.  For an excellent description of this traditional Vietnamese salad, visit this cooking site:  http://www.finecooking.com/articles/how-to/vietnamese-noodle-salads.aspx

And if you can’t wait long enough to make it at home, head to the nearest Kim Son restaurant!

Noodles

  • 4 oz. rice stick noodles (less than a full package) – looks like thin threads in package

Dressing

  • 3 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce (look in Asian section of grocery store)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste (one small jar of curry paste can last you all semester)

Beef and Vegetables

  • 3/4 pound beef (steak) cut int  1/4 inch strips
  • 4 oz watercress, chopped coarsely after removing heaviest stems; hard to find since it only has a short season – can substitute chopped raddichio, arugula, or radish sprouts; if all else fails, use cilantro
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped

Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Place the noodles in a large bowl.  Pour boiling water over them to cover and allow to sit 10 minutes.  Drain in a colander and set aside.  Create dressing by combining ingredients in a mini food processor or shake in a small container with a tight fitting lid.  Use 2 Tablespoons of the dressing to coat beef strips in a separate bowl.

Spray a non-stick skillet with Pam and heat on high for 30 seconds.  Stir fry beef strips until all sides are browned.  Test for done-ness by slicing into the thickest part of one of the strips.  You should see no pink or red.  Add the vegetables to the stir fried beef and stir fry one more minute.  Remove from heat.  Drizzle remaining dressing over stir fry and toss or stir to combine.  Mound warm noodles on a plate, tilt skillet to spread beef and vegetables over noodles.  Sprinkle nuts over top and serve.

To serve as a salad, chill the noodles after soaking them and don’t stir-fry the vegetables.  Toss the raw vegetables with the cooked beef and dressing and spread over noodles, then top with chopped peanuts.