Over the weekend, I made a variation of the classic Chinese black pepper steak with a Vietnamese twist, i.e I used fish sauce.  Fish sauce is rather offensive to the olfactory for the uninitiated.   Saying it has a “fishy smell” is probably an understatement.

But as we all know, things that smell bad often taste good.  If you grow up with these foods, or have a good experience with them, people often come to associate these smelly foods with positive feelings and experiences.  Hence the widespread consumption of various fermented foods (cheeses, tofu, sorghum etc…)

Fish sauce is fermented fish.  The juice is then concentrated.   But the sauce makes a great dipping sauce (particularly with some rice noodles, broken rice and/ or egg rolls).  It is also great as a flavor additive for all your cooking.  I recommend trying it out, but I’d probably start with a small bottle and use diluted amounts at first.

Feeds 4

Prep Time: 10 minute

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 3 stalks green onions, chopped
2. 1/2 onion, diced
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1 green bell pepper, diced
5. 1/2 top round, bottom round, or chuck steak, sliced into strips
6. 2 cups mung beans
7. 1 tsp black pepper
8. 1 tsp cayenne pepper
9. 1 tbsp soy sauce
10. 1 tbsp fish sauce
11. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
12. salt to taste

Directions:

1. Marinate meat with garlic, onion, black pepper, cayenne, soy sauce and fish sauce for 20 minutes.
2. On high heat, heat oil and add marinated mixture when oil is hot. .  Sear the meat.  Add bell peppers.

1. Cook until mung beans soften.  Add salt to taste
2. Serve with a nice side of rice.  I made some saffron rice in the picture above
3. Voila… simple quick, not at all fishy and delicious