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Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Stir-Fry

Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Stir-Fry reads umami 8.4, salinity 5.9 and funk & ferment 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 33 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.4 · Salinity 5.9 · Funk & Ferment 5.8 · Citrus 5.0 · Richness 4.7 · Marine & Briny 4.6 · Sourness 4.4 · Allium 4.1 · Sweetness 3.4 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Nutty 2.8 · Heat 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.0 · Fruity 1.6 · Floral 1.3 · Earthy 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (16)

• flank steak — 454 g
• fish sauce — 44 g
• light-brown sugar — 25 g
• lemongrass — 80 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• serrano chiles — 200 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• cornstarch — 15 g
• lime juice — 15 g
• cilantro leaves — 15 g
• spanish style peanuts — 59 g
• green onions — 220 g
• steamed jasmine rice — 532 g

Time & effort: about 33 min (13 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 120.6 kcal, 6.2 g protein, 4.5 g fat, 14.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Trim any excess fat from the flank steak, then slice across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick strips.
2. In a bowl, toss the sliced beef with 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar, the cornstarch, half the minced garlic, and half the minced lemongrass. Let stand at room temperature 15-20 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining fish sauce, remaining brown sugar, and lime juice together in a small bowl; set this sauce aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke, 1-2 minutes. Add half the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 1-2 minutes, then flip and sear the second side until just cooked through, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the remaining beef.
5. Add the final tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the onion and bell pepper; stir-fry over high heat until crisp-tender and lightly charred at the edges, 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the remaining garlic, remaining lemongrass, ginger, and chiles; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pan, pour in the reserved sauce, and toss constantly until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze that coats everything, 1-2 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in half the cilantro and half the green onions.
9. Divide the jasmine rice among plates or bowls, top with the stir-fry, and finish with the remaining cilantro, green onions, and chopped peanuts.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Coconut Curry Shrimp Pasta — Fusion
• Yellow Curry Chicken and Potatoes — Thai
• Thai Coconut Curry Mussels — Thai
• Thai Peanut Chicken Satay Bowls — Thai
• Dale Taldes Slippery Lemongrass Pork Noodles — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.