Thit bo ruoc sa: minced beef with lemongrass and shrimp paste
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Recipe type: Main
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4-5
 
A nice and sweet dish
Ingredients
  • 500g minced beef
  • 4 stalks lemongrass
  • 3 teaspoons mam ruoc, fermented shrimp paste
  • 1 onion, minced
  • 1 teaspoon nuoc mam
  • Salt, pepper, sugar, chillies
Instructions
  1. Discard the upper two thirds of the lemongrass stalks, cut away the bottom part, and mince the rest very fine. Mince the onion.
  2. Mix the mam ruoc with warm water until you have a paste.
  3. On high heat, fry the onion in oil until fragrant. Add the lemongrass and fry until the onion is cooked. Add the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste, and cook until it becomes brown.
  4. Add the mam ruoc and mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer for a bit, then add the nuoc mam. Taste: it should be a bit salty but mostly sweet. If it's not sweet enough, add some sugar. Add some chillies to taste (ie according to your level of tolerance to heat).
  5. Serve hot with rice, cucumber and salad.
Recipe by Aliette de Bodard at https://www.aliettedebodard.com/recipes/thit-bo-ruoc-sa-minced-beef-lemongrass-shrimp-paste/