// beef & scallion //

Shiitake mushrooms! It's been 5 months since I've updated anything on here. Sorry, folks. Mainly camera issues, but I will try and keep it on track now that I have a working one. Today's dish was out of a craving I had. The only thing that I would do different is use less sauce and slice the beef a lot thinner. The outcome was still good, I just wanted the beef to be more crispy than soft. My side dish was snow pea tip leaves sauteed with minced garlic, rice vinegar, oyster sauce and sesame oil. You can substitute the greens with any other Asian greens, really, but that's my go-to side dish with most Asian meat dishes. Grab the recipe here.

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad / Viet Spring Rolls

Sooooooo. Haven't posted up anything in a LONG minute. That doesn't mean I haven't been cooking...just kinda been busy and lazy w/taking pictures while I cook. For those of you who know me, I do a weekly FAM DIN at my apt. Basically, I pick a night where I'm off work early or am off for the day, then I choose a new recipe to make for my friends. It's usually the same group of ppl, but sometimes we get new guests. Luckily, I haven't had any food disasters...yet. Everyone seems to be happy w/my cooking. Maybe the 2-3 bottles of wine we drink before the meal seem to help w/that, too. ^_^

Anyway, here's last night's FAM DIN meal. I made Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon) and Thai Waterfall Beef Salad. Just a small note for the beef salad recipe, it ended up being really limey, so I added sugar to balance it out. You should be able to tell, just add gradually.

(Vietnamese Shaken) Beef. It's what's for dinner.

Nellie's Bo Luc Lac

Restaurant's Bo Luc Lac

A Vietnamese favorite, I found this recipe on www.recipezaar.com. Click here to adjust portion size (and for definitions on any of the ingredients). Just serve with white rice. So simple, yet soooo good!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb lean sirloin steaks, cubed
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 dash black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups watercress leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together garlic, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag.
   
   
2. Add beef and allow to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
   
   
3. Mix together black pepper and vinegar and marinate onion in this mixture for 10-15 minutes.
   
   
4. Then combine onion mixture with the oil and toss.
   
   
5. Arrange watercress on a plate and spread onion on top.
   
   
6. Heat remaining oil in a pan and stir-fry marinated beef until seared to desired doneness, being careful not to overcook.
   
   
7. Spread beef over onions on watercress and serve with rice.

Note: I like to sautee the onion so it becomes sweeter. I really can't stand raw onions and it leaves you with REALLY bad breath. So, just add the onion into step 6 for a minute or two until it is more transparents.

Also, if watercress is too bitter for you, you may also use Boston lettuce.