serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and cut into 5 cm pieces
- 350 g beef sirloin, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) tamarind water (see note)
- ½ bunch water spinach, washed and drained, torn into 4 cm pieces
- 6 rice paddy herb stalks, chopped
- 7 saw tooth coriander, chopped
- 1 tsp fried garlic
- 2 bird’s eye chillies, sliced
- Steamed Jasmine rice, to serve
Instructions
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and fry the garlic and lemongrass for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the beef and stir for 2 minutes, then remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
Add 6 cups (1½ litres) water, the fish sauce, sugar and salt to the pan and bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes and simmer for another 3 minutes. Add the tamarind water and water spinach, bring back to the boil, then return the beef to the pan and simmer for another 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Ladle the broth into large serving bowls. Garnish with rice paddy herb, saw tooth herb, fried garlic and half the chilli.
Serve with jasmine rice, and a small bowl of the remaining sliced chilli and fish sauce for dipping.
Note:
•For tamarind water, soak 100 g tamarind pulp in 400 ml boiling water for 10 minutes. Break it up a little with a whisk, then stand until cool enough to handle. Using your hands, work the mixture into a thick paste. Push the mixture through a sieve and discard the solids. The tamarind water will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
