Shaking Beef
Recipe GLPRd02a763b1a4dff
A Vietnamese-inspired dish featuring tender cubes of seared beef tenderloin tossed in a savory-sweet sauce of fish sauce, oyster sauce, and rice wine vinegar. The beef is cooked until caramelized, then combined with soft onions and garlic before being served over fresh watercress and jasmine rice. The dramatic presentation of pouring the hot beef and sauce over the cool greens gives this dish its characteristic name and impressive table appeal.
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Ingredients
1½ cups jasmine rice
1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning or soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 bunch fresh watercress
1½ pounds beef tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
Directions
Cook the jasmine rice according to package directions. Once cooked, remove from heat and let rest for about 5 minutes, then fluff the grains gently with a fork.
In a small bowl, whisk together the Maggi seasoning, sugar, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce, and fish sauce until well combined. Arrange the fresh watercress on a large serving platter.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Season half of the beef cubes generously with kosher salt and ground pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet and let it shimmer. Place the seasoned beef in the skillet in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply browned and caramelized on the bottom. Turn each piece and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until browned on the other side. Transfer the cooked beef to a clean plate.
Repeat step 3 with the remaining beef cubes, using the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cooking until both sides are caramelized. Add this batch to the plate with the first batch.
Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium. Add the sliced red onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and turn translucent. In the final minute of cooking, add the minced garlic and stir constantly to avoid burning.
Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet with the onions and garlic. Return all the cooked beef to the skillet and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the beef is evenly coated with the sauce and heated through. The internal temperature of the beef should reach 145F.
Pour the entire contents of the skillet—the beef, sauce, onions, and garlic—over the watercress bed on the platter. Divide the mixture among individual plates and serve alongside portions of the fluffed jasmine rice.
