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Saigon Beef

Source of Recipe

Gourmet Magazine


List of Ingredients

For chile garlic sauce:
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sriracha chile sauce or other asian hot chili sauce
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1/4 cup sugar

For beef:
1 lb sirloin steaks or flank steak, 3/4 to 1 inch thick,trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon sriracha chile sauce or other asian hot chili sauce
1/2 fresh habanero pepper, seeded and minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
1/3 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk

For condiments:
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 head boston lettuce, leaves separated
12 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 cup dry roasted salted peanuts, chopped
1 carrot, shredded



Recipe

Make chile garlic sauce: Stir together ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, and mirin in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderate heat 5 minutes.
Stir in sugar and simmer until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 5 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Make beef while sauce is cooling: Pat steak dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat sesame oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté steak, stirring occasionally, until browned on outside but still pink inside, about 3 minutes.
Stir in shallot, Sriracha sauce, habanero, and mirin and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
To serve: Put beef, chile garlic sauce, lime wedges (for squeezing), and remaining condiments each in a separate bowl.
Spoon beef into lettuce leaves and top with condiments and sauce, then wrap up.