I do not know what to call this Best Vietnamese Food in English and will settle for the name Grilled Beef with Multi Flavor (Bò Nướng Ngũ Vị). It is going to be rather lengthy if I would call it based on what I did to the beef. And if you have a chance to visit Vietnam, make sure that you will not miss this dish on your journey.
I had the inspiration to cook this Best Vietnamese Food based on what I had in small restaurant in Bien Hoa. What I ate in the said restaurant was essentially tender pieces of beef lightly boiled in steamboat. It tastes really good and I was figuring out what went into the marinade. With some suspicion here and there, I reckoned that it involved the use of preserved bean curd and sesame oil. Since I do not have steamboat feasts at home on a regular basis, I decided to give it a stir-fry instead. The stir-fry turned out really nice and “exotic”.
This Best Vietnamese Food has a slightly spicy taste to it due to the use of the preserved bean curd. The preserved bean curd and fragrance of sesame oil matched well with the natural taste of the tender slices of beef. I would say that it tastes quite unusual from the common beef stir fries. Then again, it depends on one’s preference for preserved bean curd (which is sold in small bottles). I used the spicy preserved bean curd which is different from the red preserved bean curd (which has deep-red colored preserve). If you are adventurous enough and can get your hands on these ingredients, give this dish a try. After all, cooking time is around 3 minutes or less only.
Marinade beef overnight with preserved bean curd and sesame oil. 10 minutes before cooking, break egg into marinated beef and mix well. Heat oil in wok on high heat and saute garlic till aromatic. Just as garlic is turning brown, add the marinated beef and spring onions. Stir fry very quickly and sprinkle some warm water to keep moist.
To sum up, just as beef has all evenly turned color on the outer side, dish up and serve. Cooking too long might toughen the meat. Now, it is time for you to enjoy this Best Vietnamese Food. So, how do you think? It is really amazing, right? Make sure you already took note this dish on your diary book before visiting Vietnam. Good Luck to your trip.