BUTTER BEEF (BO CHIEN BO)

i'm no contact with my parents for various reasons, but i do remember that their way of trying to appease me was always through food. back when i started college, i hated having to come home every other weekend. i was starting to discover myself in college, and coming back home stifled that growth. at least, my father made an effort to cook me my favorites, one of which was butter beef.

it was such a simple dish: beef, noodles, and fresh veggies wrapped in rice paper and dipped in a savory sauce. but in a home where servings were often strictly divied up, butter beef was one of the few dishes at that table where i could eat until i'm fully stuffed and satisfied.

not all vietnamese families prepare butter beef the same one way, but this is how i grew up eating it and continue to enjoy it.

tip: this is a meal best eaten using an electric griddle or some kind of other hot plate where you can cook and eat as you go. think of it like korean barbecue, where you're cooking the meat you're about to eat in front of you, then enjoy eating those rice paper rolls one at a time.

ingredients: (this isn't really a recipe that's measurement-specific so adjust however you feel like)

  • salted butter (ideally in stick form)
  • beef, sliced (200g per serving - i typically use the cheapest like eye round and london broil)
  • shrimp, whole and deveined (100g per serving - optional)
  • vermicelli noodles, cooked (three ladies brand rice vermicelli is my favorite)
  • rice paper
  • romaine lettuce
  • fresh herbs (thai basil, mint, cilantro - optional)

dipping sauce: ideally a 2:1 ratio of hoisin sauce and golden mountain seasoning sauce respectfully.

steps:

1) add one whole stick of butter to the pan on medium heat and allow it to fully melt.

2) stirfry the slices of beef and shrimp on medium-high heat until fully cooked in the butter. i think it's fine to overcook these. i find the meat tastes better when it gets particularly browned to the point where it's a bit crispy. people may disagree, and in that case, they can cook it to whatever doneness they want. (btw: i typically start off with six pieces of each then add more depending on my hunger level.)

3) to make one spring roll: briefly dip one rice paper in hot water and spread it out on a plate. add a piece of lettuce, some greens, some noodles, and however many pieces of beef and shrimp you want in one roll (three pieces of protein maximum!). careful not to overstuff or else you'll tear the rice paper! roll it up into a spring roll.

4) dip in dipping sauce. keep cooking more meat and enjoy until you're full and happy. add more butter if need be.