Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Vermicelli Bowls
Make Vietnamese lemongrass beef with caramelized sliced steak, rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, peanuts and tangy nước chấm.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Flank steak or sirloin, sliced very thinly against the grain
- 3 stalks Lemongrass, tender lower 1/3 of stalks, very finely minced
- 4 cloves Garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 small Shallot, finely minced
- 1 tbsp Light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- as needed Neutral oil for searing
- 1/2 cup Warm water
- 3 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Fish sauce
- 3 tbsp Fresh lime juice
- 1 clove Garlic clove, very finely minced
- 1 whole Thai chile, thinly sliced, or to taste
- 8 oz Dried rice vermicelli
- 3 cups Shredded lettuce
- 1 whole English cucumber, julienned
- 1 cup Vietnamese pickled carrot and daikon or julienned carrot
- 1 cup Mixed fresh mint and cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup Roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
- 2 whole Scallions, thinly sliced
- as desired Fried shallots, optional
Instructions
- Partially chill beef for approximately 20–30 minutes if needed to make thin slicing easier. This is optional preparation assistance, not mandatory recipe time.
- Slice very thinly against the grain.
- Combine lemongrass, garlic, shallot, brown sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, and oil.
- Toss thoroughly with beef.
- Marinate 30 minutes.
- Make nước chấm by dissolving sugar in warm water.
- Stir in fish sauce and lime juice.
- Add garlic and chile.
- Cook vermicelli according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse under cool water.
- Drain extremely well.
- Heat wok or heavy skillet over high heat.
- Add a thin film of neutral oil.
- Cook beef in SMALL BATCHES.
- Spread it into a thin layer.
- Allow edges to brown and caramelize.
- Toss and finish quickly. Approximately 2–4 minutes per batch depending on thickness. Do not stew the beef in accumulated liquid.
- Divide noodles among four bowls.
- Arrange lettuce, cucumber, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs around noodles.
- Add hot lemongrass beef.
- Sprinkle with peanuts, scallions, and optional fried shallots.
- Serve nước chấm alongside or drizzle immediately before eating.
Chef's Notes
LEMONGRASS: Only use the tender lower/inner part of the lemongrass in the finely minced marinade. Do not leave tough woody upper stalk fibers mixed into the finished beef. NƯỚC CHẤM: The dipping sauce should be salty, sweet, sour, light, and chile-bright — not thick. Adjust chile to taste. PICKLED CARROT/DAIKON: If no existing pickled carrot/daikon recipe is available, plain julienned carrot is a simple substitution. BATCH SEARING: Do not stew the beef in accumulated liquid. Cook in small batches for proper caramelization. SCALE NOTE: For larger quantities, cook in additional batches. Do not overcrowd the wok.