Shaking Beef with Black Pepper
Mixing savoury beef with hints of fresh pineapple and pear makes for this unique Vietnamese shaking beef recipe. Serve with lettuce to make it extra healthy.
Introduction
Cubed beef steak is a popular dish in Vietnam because it goes perfectly with a draught beer, which is why it often appears on the menu in Vietnam’s many watering holes. Here is Banhmi11’s twist on this recipe. We serve it with home-made chips and a watercress salad, and it has wowed many a dinner guest. It’s extremely easy to cook but, as with all steaks, make sure you ask your butcher for a nice, tender cut.
Ingredients
| 500g | sirloin steak |
| 2 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| 1 tsp | crushed garlic |
| For the marinade: | |
| 1 tsp | chopped garlic |
| ½ tsp | gia vi spice mix (or a mix of ½ tsp sea salt, sugar and pepper) |
| 2 tbsp | soy sauce |
| 2 tbsp | oyster sauce |
| 2 tbsp | fresh pear juice |
| 1 tbsp | fresh pineapple juice |
| 1 tbsp | freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 tbsp | vegetable oil |
| To serve: | |
| Lettuce or watercress | |
| Slices of pineapple | |
| Sliced cucumber |
Method
Cut the steak into 2–3cm cubes.
Combine the marinade ingredients in a large dish. Add the beef cubes, cover and leave to marinate for up to an hour.
Heat the oil in a large wok over a high heat. Add the crushed garlic and toss until the oil is fragrant.
Gradually add the marinated beef to the pan in small batches and toss for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan so the meat is evenly coated. Take care not to overcook it or it’ll become very tough.
To serve, arrange the lettuce or watercress salad on serving plates with the pineapple slices and sliced cucumber. Top with the beef and sprinkle with black pepper.
Note: you can also thread the beef cubes onto skewers with sliced red or green peppers and then grill over charcoal for a tasty barbecue dish.
