Description
A fragrant and comforting lemongrass beef stew served with wide rice noodles, infused with ginger, garlic, coriander, and a hint of five-spice. This Vietnamese-inspired dish features tender stewing beef simmered for over an hour to develop deep flavors, garnished with fresh chilli, coriander, and lime wedges for a zesty finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Stew
- 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves, plus extra to serve
- 2 red chillies, thinly sliced (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 250g stewing beef, cut into 2½ cm cubes
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 400ml beef stock
Noodles and Garnish
- 100g wide rice noodles
- Lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Make the Lemongrass Paste: Put the ginger, garlic, lemongrass, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, and 1 sliced red chilli into a food processor and pulse until you get a coarse purée.
- Cook the Paste: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan over low heat. Add the lemongrass purée and gently cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release the flavors.
- Add Beef and Seasonings: Stir in the cubed stewing beef, dark soy sauce, five-spice powder, and brown sugar. Mix well to coat all the beef with the spices and paste.
- Simmer the Stew: Pour in the beef stock, cover the pan with a lid, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the beef becomes tender.
- Reduce the Sauce: Remove the lid and cook for an additional 15 minutes, allowing the stew to thicken slightly and intensify in flavor.
- Prepare Noodles: While the stew finishes cooking, prepare the wide rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain them well once cooked.
- Serve: Divide the noodles between two bowls. Spoon the hot lemongrass beef stew over the noodles. Garnish with the remaining sliced red chilli, extra coriander leaves, and lime wedges on the side for squeezing over before eating.
Notes
- For a quicker version, thinly slice 250g lean sirloin steak and briefly brown in 1 tbsp oil over high heat before removing from pan. Use this instead of stewing beef and reduce simmering time accordingly.
- Adjust the level of spice by adding or removing the seeds from the chillies.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can simmer uncovered for longer or lightly mash some of the beef to release starch.
- Use fresh lemongrass for best flavor, but frozen or paste can work in a pinch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: lemongrass beef stew, Vietnamese beef stew, beef with noodles, lemongrass recipe, Asian stew, five spice beef
