Ingredients
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6 -8 ounces beef or 6 -8 ounces buffalo rump roast
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1 1/2 cups chopped sweet yellow onions
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1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
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2 tablespoons fish sauce, divided (nuoc mam or nam pla)
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1 teaspoon cornstarch
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil or 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves, cleaned and dried (about 4 cups worth; or "rau muong" instead of spinach)
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3 ripe roma tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
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hot cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from meat and slice thinly (which is easier when meat is slightly frozen) against the grain.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion, sliced meat, 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper, 2 teaspoons of the fish sauce, and the cornstarch; stir well to coat and set aside to marinate (the cornstarch tenderizes and makes the meat "velvety").
- Over high temperature, heat a large skillet or wok and - when the skillet is very hot - add the oil ("hot wok, cold oil, food won't stick"); add the marinated meat mixture and sauté until the meat is cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove cooked mixture from skillet and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and stir fry the minced garlic for 1 minute.
- Add spinach leaves and stir fry for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add remaining 4 teaspoons fish sauce and tomato, and stir fry 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked meat mixture and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the skillet, combine well, and cook until heated through and sauce comes to desired consistency (the cornstarch will effect the consistency - you can add a bit of water, broth, or sherry if it becomes thicker than you'd like).
- Serve immediately with hot cooked jasmine rice.
- Note: I've been told that "the recipe is not exactly Vietnamese, since we actually use minced pork to stir fry water spinach; beef is always more expensive than pork at home - the good cuts are often on their own, or cooked with minimal side ingredients; other cuts go into stews and soups" so feel free to try this with pork, too!
- Also, when I first made this recipe I really wasn't expecting too much from it - it came out much tastier than I expected, an absolute keeper (especially according to my husband)!