Lemongrass Beef Stew

By norsegal8

Obviously, this dish is imported from France, but it has a very Vietnamese sensibility, seasoned with lemongrass, ginger, Thai chile and fish sauce. You can make the stew with beef chuck or brisket, but I prefer to use boneless short ribs. Once an overlooked cut of meat, short ribs are now on menus across the country (and, sadly, are no longer as cheap as they once were), The meat is generously marbled with fat, which breaks down during the braising process, yielding a velvety sauce and extremely tender texture.
This stew is brothier and more soup-like than Western versions, and I often serve it over rice noodles. But if you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the meat and vegetables at the end and boil the sauce over high heat until it has reduced and thickened to your desired consistency, then serve it with bowls of steamed rice or with a chunk of baguette.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup finely minced lemongrass
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 by 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 1 or 2 Thai chiles, stemmed, plus 1 teaspoon minced, for garnish
• 6 cups beef stock
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 8 ounces daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/4 cup finely sliced fresh Thai basil, for garnish

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place the beef in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and stir to coat. Let stand while you prepare all of the other ingredients.

2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, working in batches, add the beef and cook, turning as needed, for about 8 minutes, until browned on all side. As each batch is ready, transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet.

3. Decrease the heat to medium and add the onion to the now-empty pot. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the onion is a deep golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Add the lemongrass, tomato paste, ginger, star anise, and whole chile to taste and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a large clay pot.

4. Add the beef and any accumulated juices to the clay pot and pour in the stock. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, decrease the heat so the liquid is at a gentle simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours, until the meet is just tender.

5. Add the carrots and daikon, re-cover, and cook for 30 minutes longer, until the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is very tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, 1 tablespoon at a time, to taste.

6. Serve the stew directly from the clay pot. Top each serving with some of the basil and minced chile.