Lemongrass has a distinctive flavor that is instantly likable and very closely associated with the cuisine of Vietnam (it’s grown and used elsewhere, especially in Southeast Asia, but nowhere quite as widely). This dish is often served on a flat bed of plain rice noodles, but I like it best over a salad, dressed with a little nuoc cham. For information on Asian fish sauces like nam pla, see page 500. Other cuts of meat you can use here: pork, cut from either the loin or the shoulder.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings as a main course, 8 as a starter

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef tenderloin or boneless sirloin

　　1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, (page 596)

　　2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed (page 143) and finely chopped

　　2 large or 4 medium shallots, roughly chopped

　　2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

　　1 small dried chile, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　2 tablespoons nam pla, plus a little more if needed

　　Salt if necessary

　　1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

　　Nuoc Cham (page 590) for dipping

　　

Step 1

Freeze the beef for 30 to 60 minutes to facilitate slicing. If you’re using wood skewers, soak them in water to cover. Meanwhile, combine all the remaining ingredients except the Nuoc Cham in a small food processor and blend to a paste, stopping the machine to stir down the sides if necessary.

　　

Step 2

When the beef is semifrozen, slice it as thinly as you can. Marinate it for as little as 20 minutes and as long as overnight in the spice paste (if the paste is too thick, thin it with a bit more nam pla).

　　

Step 3

Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be quite hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Skewer the beef slices, using the skewer as you would a needle to weave once or twice through the meat. Grill quickly, about 1 minute per side, until nicely browned. Serve hot with the Nuoc Cham.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.