Quick Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef

Tonight's one-dish dinner is from the March issue of Food and Wine magazine and is:

Quick Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Beef

If you have been wanting to try a Vietnamese dish, this would be a great place to start.  It is simple and quick!   Look for my tips and comments in italics.  I've included a few pictures too.

• TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
• SERVINGS: 4
  

• FAST
• HEALTHY
•  
• STAFF-FAVORITE

Ingredients

1. 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2. 2 cups water
3. 1 tablespoon agave syrup
4. 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
5. 1 tablespoon soy sauce (I didn't have any soy and substituted Ponzu sauce.)
6. Two 8-ounce packages shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained (I did not see these noodles at the store and used  "MAIFUN" rice noodles instead.) 
7. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges, for serving
8. Salt and freshly ground pepper
9. 1/2 pound trimmed beef tenderloin, very thinly sliced across the grain
10. 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
11. 1/2 cup chopped basil
12. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
13. 1/4 cup chopped scallions
14. 1 cup mung bean sprouts
15. Sriracha or other garlic-chile sauce, for serving 

One Serving 160 cal, 7 gm fat, 2.4 gm sat fat, 11 gm carb, 3 gm fiber, 15 gm protein.

Directions

 

Comment:  My first comment is that this recipe doesn't seem to give directions for cooking the beef, and I don't think it is supposed to be raw in the soup.  Take your cut of beef, cover it with salt and pepper and stick it in the oven at 350 until its internal temperature is 140 for rare or 150 for medium.  Then slice against the grain.

1. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken stock with the water, agave syrup, grated ginger and soy sauce and bring to a boil.Add the noodles and simmer over low heat for 2 minutes. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
2. Using tongs, transfer the noodles to bowls. Add the beef to the noodles and ladle the hot broth on top. Drizzle with the sesame oil and top with the basil, cilantro, scallions and bean sprouts. Serve with lime wedges and chile sauce. 

Tip:  Do all the prep work in advance to make cook the final dish a cinch.  Cook and cut the beef and keep it in a bowl.  Wash and cut all herbs and vegetables and put them in bowls.  Put all your ingredients on the counter, so it will be within arm's reach when you start cooking because this dish cooks and is ready to serve very quickly!  

Tip:  Do not leave bean sprouts on the counter.  They are one of the worst offenders for harboring food borne illness.  Wash them and put them in your refrigerator until it is time to cook the dish.  Same goes for the veggies, herbs and meats if they are going to be prepped very far in advance.

Tip:  Unlike some herbs, cilantro leaves do not need to be separated from the stem.  Wash the cilantro and chop it stems and all!

Tip:  If you don't have a lemon or lime press, you should buy one!  It is one of my favorite kitchen tools.  I use a lemon press (instead of a lime press) because it is big enough for both lemons and limes.  In my experience, most of the time one half of a lemon or lime yields about 1 Tablespoon of juice.

Don't forget to Compost!  Enjoy your meal!
 xo- Carson