Vietnamese Recipes -  Stir-fried Beef with Potatoes Chops (Bo Xao Khoi Tay)

Ingredients

• 675 g/1 1/2 lb beef flank steak or sirloin, cut against the grain into 3mm/1/8 inch slices, about 5 x 2.5cm/2 x 1 inch

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• pepper

• 4 potatoes

• 1 teaspoon salt

• peanut or vegetable oil for deep-frying

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon corn-flour dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

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Method:

1. Combine the beef with the fish sauce, half of the garlic, and some freshly ground black pepper and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

2. Slice the potatoes about 1 cm/1/2 inch thick, then sprinkle the salt over them. Heat 8 cm/3 inches of oil in a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed saucepan until very hot (about 190°C/375°F - a cube of bread should brown in 30 seconds) and deep-fry the potatoes until golden brown and tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over high heat and brown the remaining garlic. Add the onion and the beef mixture and stir-fry until the beef is medium-rare, about 1 minute. Add the potatoes and corn-flour mixture and stir briefly until the juices thicken. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Accompany with rice or bread and a simple green vegetable, such as broccoli. A mixed green salad would be fine too. Pass Chili dipping sauce separately.