Vietnamese Beef Noodle (Bun bo)

My husband and I were in Hanoi last April (click here for that posting) and fully enjoyed our meals there but we didn’t get the chance to experience this local dish. This recipe hails from chef Bobby Chinn. We had the pleasure of chatting to him while we were in his Hanoi restaurant. An amazing guy to listen to and with his half Chinese, half Egyptian background he’s full of spunk and isn’t afraid to fail!

Serves 2
recipe from Bobby Chinn’s Wild, Wild East book

100g beef fillet, thinly sliced
oil
1 teaspoon lemongrass, finely chopped
small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
50g mixed salad
100g cooked rice noodles
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons beef stock or water
50g bean sprouts
2 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce
1 tablespoon crispy fried shallots
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Brush the beef with 1 tablespoon oil, cover with the lemongrass and leave for 15 minutes. Put coriander and salad in serving bowls and top with rice noodles. Lightly oil a wok and heat until it’s almost smoking. Add the meat and let sit for 1 bit to caramelize before shaking the wok. Stir then add garlic and toss. Keep the heat high and deglaze the wok with the stock or water, scraping the pan to create a sauce. Toss in the bean sprouts and cook a bit. Add the sweet and sour sauce. Spoon into the bowls and finish with shallots and sesame seeds.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: I love the way the lemongrass flavors the meat. It’s such an easy dish to prepare and is packed full of vitamins.