Recipes: bun bo xao

1. (Pickled carrots) Use the julienne peeler to shred the carrot. In a medium bowl, add sugar, salt, rice vinegar and water. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved and add carrot into the dressing bowl. Let it sit for at least one hour before serving. 

2.(Fish sauce) In a medium bowl, add sugar, boiled water and fish sauce. Mix well until the sugar is dissovled, let it cool down before adding the lemon juice in (otherwise it will taste bitter). Then add chilli and minced garlic. Set aside.

3. Peel the dried leaves and layers of lemongrass and  cut off the root and discard them. Then chop the stalk finely and put in food processor to be grated. Finely chop one eschalot and one clove garlic. Thinly slice shallots and place it into a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.                        
4. Thinly slice the beef. Marinate beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, pepper, chicken powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon garlic, lemongrass for at least 1 hour.                        

5. Prepare all the herbs: Washing all the veggies and slice the cucumber into 4cm long and thin pieces. Set aside for later.  

6. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once water is boiled, add noodles into the pot and cover with lid. Turn the heat off and let the noodles cook for about 8 minutes. Drain and cool under cold water (this will help the noodle not stick together). Set aside.

7. (Fried eschalot) In a small pan on medium low heat, add oil and when it is hot, add eschalot and fry until fragrant and golden brown, then remove the fried eschalot into a small bowl. Set aside.

8. (Shallot oil) Add the already hot eschalot oil into the small shallot bowl (prepared before) and mix well.

9. In medium pan on medium high heat. Add garlic and fry until fragrant, then add beef (dividing the beef in small batches for a more even stirfry) and stir fry beef for about 1 minute. Add brown onion and continue to stir fry for 30 seconds or until just cooked through.

10. Divide the noodles into 4 bowls. Add bean sprouts, salad, pickled carrot and beef and top with fried shallot, shallot oil and roasted peanuts. (add fried spring rolls)

11. Serve with fish sauce.