Beef Wok-Tossed with Glass Noodles and Curry Powder

Name: Beef Wok-Tossed with Glass Noodles and Curry Powder (Bò Xào Lăn)
Yield: Serves 4-6 as part of a Shared Meal
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1 lemongrass stem, white part only, finely chopped; 50 g (1¾ oz) dried bean thread (glass) vermicelli noodles; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 3 tablespoons coconut milk; 350 g (12 oz) beef eye fillet, trimmed and thinly sliced; ½ teaspoon hot Thai red curry powder; 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon chilli flakes; 1 onion, cut in half (then ½ diced, ½ cut into wedges); 1 bunch rice paddy herb, leaves roughly sliced; light soy sauce, for dipping; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 3 dried wood ear mushrooms; 1 bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced; 1 bunch sawtooth herb, leaves roughly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon sugar

Bò Xào Lăn

Preparation info

Serves
4-6
as part of a Shared Meal

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED THIS DISH. MY FATHER WOULD COOK THIS EVERY TIME HE HAD HIS MATES OVER — IT WAS THE PERFECT DRINKING FOOD. YOU CAN USE EITHER THAI OR MALAY CURRY POWDER IN THIS RECIPE, AS LONG AS THE COLOUR IS RED AND THE FLAVOUR IS HOT. THE BEEF CAN BE SUBSTITUTED WITH EEL OR MAKE IT SIMPLY WITH VEGETABLES ALONE.

Ingredients

50 g (1¾ oz) dried bean thread (glass) vermicelli noodles
3 dried wood ear mushrooms

Asia
Vietnam
Mekong
Dinner
Main course
Spicy
Southeast Asia

Method

Put the bean thread vermicelli in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain. Use kitchen scissors to cut the vermicelli into 10 cm (4 inch) lengths. Put the mushrooms in a bowl, cover wi