Bò Xào Sả Ớt (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Stir-fry)
Lemongrass beef stir-fry (Bò Xào Sả Ớt) is a delicious and easy Vietnamese dish that combines tender beef with the refreshing flavors of lemongrass and the heat of red chilies. It is an excellent choice for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 436kcal
Ingredients
- 14-16 oz beef, thinly sliced against the grain (flank steak or See Notes for more options)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/8 teaspoon five-spice powder, divided
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
- 2 teaspoons cooking oil (plus more to cook)
- 6 medium lemongrass stalks, white parts only, sliced very thinly (about 2/3 cup or 40-45g sliced)
- 2 teaspoons julienned ginger
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 red banana peppers, or any non/mildly-spicy red chili peppers, seeds removed and thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup or 25g sliced)
- 1 bird's-eye chili, seeds removed and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (to serve)
Instructions
- Place beef slices in a mixing bowl and toss with ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, ½ tablespoon minced garlic and 1 tablespoon water. Then add 2 teaspoons oil and mix to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
- Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add some oil to coat the bottom. Add lemongrass slices once the oil is hot, stir and cook for about 2 minutes until lemongrass has reduced in volume and looked slightly golden and it smells aromatic. Transfer to a clean bowl.
- Add julienned ginger and sauté until fragrant and softened, up to a minute. Then add the remaining minced garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, then add beef slices in a single layer and let them cook undisturbed for about 20-30 seconds to give them a nice sear. Then stir-fry for a few more seconds. Don't overcrowd the pan and cook in batches if needed.
- While the beef is still slightly pink, add oyster sauce, fish sauce, lemongrass, all the chili peppers and remaining five-spice powder. Stir and toss quickly until beef is just cooked through and flavors are combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Transfer to serving plates. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and serve right away.
Notes
Some beef cuts good for stir-frying are flank steak, flat iron steak and sirloin.
If you cannot find non or mildly-spicy red chilies, you can use julienned red bell peppers. You may also add some thinly sliced onions if desired. In case you use red bell peppers and/or onions, sauté them right after Step 2 then set aside. Then continue with Step 3 until the end of the recipe.
Please adjust the amount of bird's-eye chili depending on how spicy you want the stir-fry to be.
If your pan is small or your stove is not powerful, it is best to divide and cook in two batches, starting from Step 3.
If you want to simplify the recipe, it is okay to leave out the ginger and five-spice powder. The toasted sesame seeds is optional, but I highly recommend.
The most traditional way to serve bo xao sa ot is with steamed rice. In addition, here are some creative ways you can try:
- With rice vermicelli noodles: create your noodle bowl with the stir-fried beef, lettuce and fresh herbs.
- With lettuce: make healthy lettuce wraps and savor the dish in a low-carb way.
Nutrition
Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 5mg