Stir fried beef and chayote

Influenced by a meal that chef Luke Nguyen cooked in his TV program, this stir fried beef and chayote combo is another example of the yin-yang idea that is found across different Asian cuisines. The active ingredients are simple, couple of and affordable, the seasonings are minimal, and yet, the fragrance and flavors are so complex, one would think that a dozen herbs and spices entered into the preparation.

Rapid prepared this meal for our lunch today. He was a bit concerned that it was too salted but I liked the boldness of the fish sauce and the subtle sweet taste of the brown sugar, a mix that I will forever associate with Vietnamese cooking.

Undoubtedly, a good fish sauce is essential. Not just does it impart the required saltiness, it likewise conveys a taste and scent that are extremely Asian.

For best outcomes, use a tender cut of beef. Sirloin, top round, bottom round and tenderloin are good choices.

It is likewise important to cook the chayote simply till tender-crisp. I keep in mind reading a blog site long back, I can’t remember any longer which one, but I distinctly remember the blog writer scoffing at the term “tender-crisp”, a term often used to describe veggies in a stir fried dish. Well, cooks who understand how to stir fry correctly (see stir frying essentials) can easily understand what “tender-crisp” implies– vegetables that are prepared just up until done so that the edges are tender but the center is still firm.

” Tender-crisp” is not so much a classification of a one-dimensional texture however more of a description of the experience in the mouth as one consumes a properly stir fried veggie– the veggie feels tender as one starts to bite into it but before the teeth completely cuts through it, one understands that the tenderness is just partial as the center has actually maintained the crispness of the vegetable in its raw state. Put another way, “tender-crisp” explains distinct layers of textures that are inexorably linked.