Dish of Beef with Bamboo
(click to enlarge)

Beef with Bamboo


Thailand
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 w/rice
***
50 min
Most		 This recipe provides plenty for those who favor beef, and its chewy texture is balanced by the crunchiness of bamboo shoots. A little chili heat adds interest and balance. See also Do-Ahead.

1
----
3
1
----
20
6
2
2
1-1/2
1
1/4
----
2
#
---
cl
t
---

oz

cl
T
t
t
---
T

Beef, lean (1)
-- Marinade
Garlic
Pepper, black (2)
--------
Thai Basil Leaves
Bamboo Shoots (3)
Chilis, fresh red (4)
Garlic
Fish Sauce (4)
Palm Sugar
Salt
--------
Oil
Prep   (35 min)
  1. Slice BEEF across the grain about 1/8 inch thick and cut into strips a little less than 1/4 inch wide and up to 2 inches long.
  2. Crush GARLIC thoroughly and chop very fine. Massage well into Beef along with Black Pepper. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
  3. Remove BASIL LEAVES from the stems and set soaking in cold water. this will help keep them green.
  4. Slice BAMBOO into strips of size similar to the Beef, but a little thinner and narrower. Seed CHILIS and cut into very thin strips. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Mix all
  5. Crush Palm Sugar and mix with Fish Sauce along with Salt to dissolve.
RUN   (15 min)
  1. Drain Basil and cut into narrow strips for garnish.
  2. In a wok or spacious sauté pan heat Oil and stir in Beef. Fry stirring over highest flame until it has completely lost its raw color and all exuded liquid has evaporated.
  3. Stir in Bamboo mix and Fish Sauce Mix. Continue to fry stirring for another 3 minutes, until fragrant.
  4. Serve hot, garnished with Basil Leaves and with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Weight is for boneless with all excess fat trimmed away. Use a reasonably tender cut such as shoulder as cooking time is short.

  2. Black Pepper:

      Thai recipes of this sort call for coarsely ground, but a medium fine grind will still work. The most important thing is that it be freshly ground.

  3. Bamboo Shoots:

      Fresh is best, but a hassle and not always available. Best to buy in vacuum pack bags (unless your market has them in a bulk tub). Canned is available everywhere, but needs to be par boiled for 5 minutes or more to remove the metallic taste.

  4. Chili, Fresh Red:

      Around here we all use Red Ripe Fresnos, but other medium hot red chilis, such as Holland Red will work. For details see our Thai Chilis page.

  5. Fish Sauce:

      This clear liquid is as essential to Southeast Asian cuisine as it was to Imperial Rome. If you are unfamiliar with it, see our Fish Sauce - Introduction page.

  6. Do-Ahead

      This recipe can be made right up to serving, then held if needed, with a final frying to reheat just before garnishing and serving.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch ar=as required tt=to taste
smm_cowbb1 170115 inet var   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@clovegarden.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page permitted