Vietnamese Beef Stew

The title of “Beef Stew” seems to shows commonly across many different cooks books. The definition of “Stew” means to cook food by simmering or boiling slowly. Beef Stew is common that everyone can cook for their family. Different varieties tradition of cooking undergone changes all this year and has developed different recipes and their own style of cooking. Some like it to cook with potatoes; cauliflower, carrots or I have seen some put sweet potatoes in beef stew.  This dish considers as easy to cook meal, healthy all-in-one ready to go in a stew form. You can cook a big pot; freeze it, and thaw out for the next day to re-use it again. It’s simple, fast, and full of nutrition and most importantly - the family like it.

Lala's Vietnamese Beef Stew

In the United State, beef stew considers as one of the comfort food. This usually is cook in a slow cooker, slimmer it slowly so it’s more favorable.  In French, “bœuf à la bourguignonne” beef slowly simmering in red wine is more like their signature dish. Overtime, this has become a standard dish for them. Since Vietnam was once rule under the French, they copied many cuisines and altered them into their own cuisine. Vietnamese Beef Stew’s idea was originated by the French. The dish is made with tender beef; simmer it slowly until the beef becomes all tender. Carrots are usually the vegetable of choice in this dish. Some like to add potatoes to the stew to create the starchy texture. In my family, I like to cook this dish often especially in the winter months. This dish gives the warm and comfort feeling.

**Lala’s recipe:

Ingredients: (serving for 4)

•        .805kg boneless briskets (use veal briskets if you want  low fat stew)

•        1 small onion (chopped)

•        1 clove garlic (diced)

•        3 carrots (medium size)

•        1 can tomatoes paste (medium size)

•        2 tsps salt

•        1 tsps black pepper

•        1 tsps five spices power

•        1 tsps soya sauce

•        2 tsps olive oil

Preparation:

Boil the brisket in a separate pot until it’s 50% cooked. Scope the briskets out on a plate. Do not throw the water away. In a separate pot, put the olive oil in and bring the garlic and onions to sizzle. Put the briskets in the pot and pan fried it until it’s 70% cooked. During this process, add the salt, five spices power, soy sauce and pepper in. Mix the carrots and the tomatoes paste very last. Once everything is stirred evenly, add two cups of the remaining boiled brisket water to the pot. Cover the stew and simmer it for about an hour on medium heat or until the carrots are soften and the beef is tendered. This dish can be eaten with rice noodles, rice, or French bread.