lemongrass

Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Noodle Soup

2015, cooking, family

After just one bite, B determined this to be a keeper!

Yields about 6 dinner sized portions

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds bone-in or boneless beef short ribs.  If using boneless, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 4 small stalks of lemongrass, minced (I chop mine into little rounds, pound in the mortar and pestle, then finish in the food processor)
  • 2 inch knob of ginger, split and smashed
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 star anise pods
  • dried chilis to taste
  • 3 TBSP tomato paste
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 4 inches of daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 2 TBSP fish sauce to taste
  • Baby bok choy, about 1 1/2 bunches per person
  • Thai basil for garnish
  • 3 pounds fresh rice noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Brown the beef on all sides in batches (about 8 minutes per batch).  Once browned, remove beef from the pot
  • Add  the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until golden brown, but still soft
  • Add the garlic, cook for a few seconds, the add the lemongrass, chili and ginger.  Sauté to let the flavors bloom
  • Add the tomato paste and salute till incorporated in he mixture
  • Re-introduce the beef and any rendered juices
  • Add the beef broth.  Be sure to fully cover the beef well.
  • Bring to a simmer.
  • Cover the top with foil, place the lid on and place in a 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours till meat is tender
  • Remove from the oven.  If used bone-in beef, remove the beef from the bone, then cut into bit-sized chunks
  • Add the carrot and daikon and simmer over the stove until the veggies are soft and release their sweetness
  • In the meantime, boil some water and boil the bok choy.  Place in individual bowls.  Using the same water, cook the rice noodles, just till softened and heated through (they are already cooked).  Place the noodles over the bok choy
  • Ladle the soup over the noodles and garnish with basil

Lemongrass chicken

cooking

20120529-145022.jpg

These books have been sitting on my nightstand for the past week. Really excited to get started and cook! I love the warm weather we’ve been having. Makes me want to entertain more and try out some new recipes!

The first recipe I tried from this collection is lemongrass chicken, a recipe by Australian chef, Luke Nguyen. Simple and quick if you have the ingredients on hand, Luke’s recipe calls for marinading the chicken for at least 4 hours, but how often do we really plan ahead that far in advanced for a dish that takes just minutes to cook? Since I intend to make this dish for weeknight dinners, I tried the dish without extensive marinading. I’m sure that a longer marinade time would enhance the flavor of the chicken, but I think that the bold favors of the ingredients in the sauce compensate for it. Here is my adaptation:

INGREDIENTS
2 chicken thighs cut up into sized pieces
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 small stalks of lemongrass (from our garden:), finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
Few sprigs cilantro

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the chicken, sugar, garlic and fish sauce in a small bowl. Season with black pepper. Set aside and prepare the other ingredients

2. Oil a wok and heat on medium high. Stir fry the lemongrass and chili flakes until fragrant and the cooked through. Be sure that there is enough oil to ensure that they don’t burn

3. Add the chicken and stir fry for a few minutes till chicken is cooked on the outside

4. Add chicken broth and cover the wok. Turn down heat And simmer until chicken is cooked through (1-2 minutes)

5. Remove lid and allow the sauce to reduce slightly. Add onions and cook to desired degree for cooking

6. Turn off heat and add cilantro if using

7. Turn onto a plate to serve with hot rice

kaffir lime chicken

Uncategorized

INGREDIENTS
1 chicken breast, sliced into bite sized pieces
2T fish sauce
1tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
about 2 tsp palm sugar
10-15 kaffir leaves, fine chiffonade
1 stalk of lemongrass, minced
small knob of galanga, sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 red chili, sliced
2 tsp oil

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Marinate chicken in fish sauce, soy sauce, palm sugar and pepper
  2. Heat wok with about 2 teaspoons oil till smoking
  3. Add galanga and lemongrass and saute for 1 minute.  Then add garlic and kaffir lime 
  4. Add chicken and stir-fry till cooked on outside
  5. Add chicken broth, cover, lower heat and simmer till chicken is cooked
  6. Add cornstarch mixed with a bit of broth to thicken as needed
  7. Add chili before serving with hot rice