SERVES 6
Inspired by a delicious meal at a Vietnamese restaurant in New York City, this dish skips the oyster sauce but stays true to the notion of beef sautéed with lots of onions, garlic and scallions, and served over watercress. The sweetness of the well-cooked onions with the peppery watercress and the flavorful beef offer a tantalizing treat to the taste buds.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MARINADE:
¼ cup/60 ml coconut aminos
2 tbsp/30 ml fresh lime juice
2 tbsp/30 ml sesame oil (unrefined, expeller- or cold-pressed)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp/20 g raw honey
1 tbsp/15 g fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp/5 g green onions, chopped
1 tbsp/15 g fish sauce
1 ½ lbs/680 g flank steak
FOR THE DRESSING:
1 tbsp/15 ml fresh orange juice
1 tbsp/15 ml fresh lime juice
1 tbsp/15 ml coconut aminos
1 tsp/7 g raw honey
1 tbsp/15 ml sesame oil (unrefined, expeller- or cold-pressed)
¼ tsp red chili flakes
3 tbsp/45 ml expeller-pressed coconut oil
2 cups/260 g white onion, sliced
¾ cup/40 g scallions, chopped
4 large garlic cloves or 6 medium, minced
2 bunches watercress leaves
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Make the marinade by mixing together the coconut aminos, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, honey, ginger, green onions and fish sauce. Pour over the flank steak. Make sure it is well coated. Cover and marinate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Flank steak can be tough, so the longer it marinates the more tender it will become.
Make the dressing by whisking together orange juice, lime juice, coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil and chili flakes. Set aside.
Heat a wok or a large, heavy-bottomed skillet to medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil. Once the oil is warm, add the beef and sauté until cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set beef aside. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add scallions and garlic and sauté until scallions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add beef back in and sauté until beef is warm, about 2 minutes. Place a large handful of watercress on a plate, drizzle with 2 teaspoons/10 ml of dressing and top with warm beef and onion sauté.
CHEF’S TIP
I prefer using expeller-pressed coconut oil for this dish, as it does not have a strong coconut flavor.
