Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Banh Mi

Lemongrass Beef

• 500g mince beef or chicken

Lemongrass Paste

• 6 spring onion white part only
• 2 lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon light soya sauce
• 2 teaspoon palm sugar

Pickled Carrot and Daikon Salad

• 3 carrots shredded
• ½ mooli/daikon, shredded
• 10 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Caster sugar
• Star anise
• Pinch of salt

Lemongrass Beef

• In a mortar combine lemongrass, garlic, spring onion and a bit of salt, pound into a fine paste (or put it in a food processor).
• Transfer paste into a large bowl, add shrimp paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame seeds and mix well.
• Soak 10 bamboo skewers in cold water for about 30 mins to prevent them from burning.
• With wet hands, (helps prevent meat mixture from sticking to your hands) divide the beef mixture into small balls, and then roll them into a sausage shape.
• Thread 2 beef sausage shape onto the skewers. These can be kept in the fridge till required, or frozen.

• Brush the beef skewers with oil and cook on a grill pan or barbecue for about 6 minutes, turn regularly till charred, and brown.
• Serve in a Banh Mi baguette or on their own with a vermicelli salad.

PICKLED CARROT AND DAIKON

• Dissolve the sugar and rice vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the shredded carrots, daikon and star anise, making sure they are all covered.
• Marinate for at least 15 -30 minutes then leave to drain in a sieve for 5 minutes or keep in a sterilised jar for up to 5 days in the fridge.