Bo Xao Xa Ot Recipe (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef)

Bún thịt bò xào xả ớt (chile lemongrass beef noodles) is one of my favorite Vietnamese "casual" everyday meals. I like the way lemongrass is used to spice things up in this Vietnamese classic. Tender, boneless stir-fried beef is cooked with fresh lemongrass, freshly chopped chile peppers and onions. The meat is served in a bowl filled with cold vermicelli rice noodles, roasted peanuts, fresh vegetables (usually cucumber and pickled carrots), fresh Vietnamese herbs and soy bean sprouts. The entire dish is drizzled with mixed herbed fish sauce as seasoning.

The cooking time is very fast, and call me crazy but I love the sound of the sizzling pan. I stir-fried the beef, but on hotter days, you could also thread the meat into skewers and grill them.

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Bún = noodles

Thịt bò = beef

Thịt = meat

Xào = stir fry

Xả = lemongrass

Ớt = chile

Vietnamese Oyster Sauce Beef Recipe (Thit Bo Xao)

Dưa leo xào thịt bò ("beef stir fry with cucumber" in Vietnamese) is really tasty because the meat is so tender it melts in your mouth. The beef stir fry sauce is both sweet and savory; I combined oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and caramelized onions.

It's not the prettiest but it's perfect for a quick and easy meal. I used filet mignon that I sliced paper-thin. I don't cook often with cucumber but in this case, it added crunch to the dish. I also added zucchini, green onions and cilantro. You can serve the dish with bún (vermicelli rice noodles), but for me, nothing can beat beef stir fry with rice. Just add đô chua condiment (pickled carrots and daikon) and you'll have a complete, balanced meal in no time.

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Bò = beef

Xào = stir fry

Cơm = rice

Dưa leo = cucumber

Thịt = meat

Vietnamese-Style Beef Salad Recipe

Though I live in a house full of vegetarians, once in a while, I enjoy a tender and juicy steak. I’ve been getting the urge lately, so I bought a sirloin steak to satisfy my cravings. This time around I marinated it in an Asian-inspired sweet and savory sauce. I combined sugar, coriander, chiles, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice; the ingredients are very common in Vietnamese cuisine.

The meat doesn't require a long marinating time, which I love. A quick sear and you’ll have a perfectly juicy steak. I let the meat cool to temperature, then slice it into long strips against the grain, so the meat remains tender. The beef is scattered over a bed of mixed Vietnamese mint, cilantro and lettuce leaves, along with a bowl of rice vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, shredded cucumber and pickled carrots and daikon. My condiment of choice though: nước mắm (Vietnamese fish sauce). It may not be on your list, but it’s one of my favorites. No matter what you serve with this steak though, you will have a delicious meal!

Bo Luc Lac Recipe: Vietnamese Beef Dish

I find thịt bò lúc lắc to be a fun-sounding dish. Thịt bò means beef meat in Vietnamese, but the rest of the name of this popular Vietnamese beef dish, "lúc lắc", translates to "shaking" and "moving back and forth".

This dish calls for very tender beef. I chose to use small cubes of sirloin beef; you could also use filet mignon. The meat is first immersed in a very traditional Vietnamese marinade, then tossed back and forth in a wok. The cooking time is fairly rapid, so it's perfect when you're looking for a quick and easy dinner menu item.

I served the cubed beef on a bed of lettuce, along with caramelized onions and sliced chile peppers. All you need to add is a bowl of steamed jasmine rice and a mixture of lime juice, salt and pepper (the typical dipping sauce that goes with every Vietnamese meal). Enjoy!

Vietnamese Grilled Beef Rolls (Bo Cuong Hanh Huong Recipe)

Bò nướng hành hương is a wonderful South-Vietnamese specialty. It's a dish of beef wrapped around sliced yellow and green onions, then grilled to medium doneness. The beef is infused with the aromatic scent of green onions and five-spice powder rub with honey. The blend of all the flavors gives the meat a sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty taste.

The dish is traditionally served with vermicelli rice noodles (bún) and aromatic Vietnamese herbs, but I served mine with nước chấm, ginger guava sauce and crushed peanuts. The main component of ginger guava sauce is guava jam. It can be difficult to find, but it's available in some Indian stores. Make the effort to find it because the flavor is amazing, and it contrasts with the beef very well.

I make this dish quite often for parties because it's easy to eat in one or two bites and doesn't interrupt conversations. Try it as an appetizer at your next dinner party. Your guests will love you!

Note: Glossary of relevant Vietnamese cooking terms.

Bò = beef

Bún = vermicelli rice noodles

Cuốn = rolled

Hành = onions

Hành hương = aromatic onions

Nướng = beef

Thịt = meat