Thai Beef Stew

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, very thinly sliced

2 lemongrass stalks, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons roasted red chili paste

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and julienned into 2-inch strips

2 red bell peppers, julienned into 2-inch strips

2 quarts beef stock

1 Kaffir lime leaf

1 box wide rice noodles

Scallions and cilantro leaves for garnish

In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, vegetable oil and grated ginger. Pour into a large sealable bag and add sliced beef. Marinate 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, blend lemongrass, garlic cloves, red chili paste and chopped ginger into a paste.

Heat a sauteuse or small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove meat slices from marinade and sear. Transfer to a plate.

In the same pan, add the lemongrass paste, peppers and carrots. Saute until the mixture becomes a little darker in color and very aromatic. Pour in the beef stock and add the lime leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook 20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon or mesh sieve, skim the top of the broth to collect any large pieces of fond.

Return the meat to the broth and bring to a simmer while the noodles cook.

While the broth is simmering, cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

To serve, ladle broth, meat and veggies into a bowl. Add a serving of noodles on top of the broth, and garnish with scallions and cilantro leaves.