Photo and recipe by Uyen Luu
There’s something magical about the way Vietnamese cuisine layers flavors and aromas to create a dish that feels both comforting and vibrant. This shaking Lemongrass Beef recipe from Uyen Luu’s Quick and Easy Vietnamese is the perfect example. Tender, marinated beef cubes are stir-fried with fragrant betel leaves and fresh lemongrass for a dish that’s as aromatic as it is satisfying.
“This recipe combines the famous shaking beef with its cousin bò lá lốt (beef wrapped in betel leaves),” Luu writes. “A tremendously fragrant ingredient when cooked, the aroma of betel leaves reminds me of the smells of the Vietnamese countryside and homes filled with incense and burning cinnamon.”
It’s a simplified take on two iconic Vietnamese dishes, eliminating the need to roll the beef into the betel leaves without sacrificing flavor. The result is a quick, adaptable dish that pairs beautifully with rice, salad, or vermicelli noodles.
If you’re planning a weeknight dinner or looking to impress guests, this dish is a fantastic choice. The prep is simple, the cooking time is short, and the flavors are incredible. Plus, it’s endlessly versatile—try swapping in different cuts of beef or adjusting the spice levels to suit your taste.
This recipe is just one of the many gems in Uyen Luu’s Quick and Easy Vietnamese, a cookbook filled with vibrant, approachable dishes perfect for any home cook. Ready to dive into the bold flavors of Vietnam? Order your copy today and transform your everyday meals!
Shaking Lemongrass Beef
Ingredients
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) fillet or rib eye steak, cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) cubes
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Maggi liquid seasoning or light soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 round shallot, finely chopped
- 30 g (1 oz) lemongrass, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon caster, superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 heaped teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 spring onions, scallions, cut into 4 cm (11/2 inch) lengths
- 100 g (3 1/2 oz) betel leaves rice, salad or rice vermicelli salad, to serve
Instructions
- Put the beef into a bowl and add the oyster sauce, Maggi liquid seasoning or soy sauce, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, sugar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Stir well, then cover and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature. If you want to leave it longer, put it into the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before cooking.
- You will need to cook the beef in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Heat a frying pan over a high heat for a few minutes until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, then add some of the spring onions and a batch of beef cubes, making sure they are not too crowded together. Leave to sear for 30 seconds, then add some of the betel leaves and stir-fry for 1 minute. Continue to cook for a further 1½ minutes, shaking the pan vigorously for 10 seconds every 30 seconds, until the beef is medium-rare. Set aside on a plate, then repeat with the remaining ingredients. When all the beef is cooked, pour any juices left in the pan over the plate.
- Serve immediately with rice, salad, or rice vermicelli salad.
Excerpted with permission from Quick and Easy Vietnamese: Everyday Vietnamese Recipes for the Home Cook by: Uyen Luu published by Hardie Grant Books, August 2024, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.