Despite the fact that the weather has been crazy hot, I’ve been craving some Vietnamese beef stew, big time. I hope you try out this recipe. This stuff is yummy…or at least to me.
* serves 6
3 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 onion, diced into 2-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons curry powder
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 red chili, minced
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
1-inch knob of ginger, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, use only the bottom half and crush with a knife
4 star anises
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
16 oz. water
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
Directions:
1. Marinate the beef with the onion, garlic, sugar, curry powder, fish sauce, sea salt, red chili, Chinese 5-spice, ginger, lemongrass, and star anises for thirty minutes.
2. In a stockpot, add oil to cover the pot. Once the oil is hot, add in the marinated beef and cook until there is a nice sear on the beef on all sides.
3. Add in the tomato sauce, water, and bay leaf.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer for one hour and thirty minutes over low heat.
5. Add the carrots and cook for another thirty minutes, or until the carrots are tender.
6. Serve the stew over rice noodles and garnish with cilantro and sliced scallions.