Dry. That's how Marcus described this dish. Me? I would have said, bursting with flavor, but could use more sauce, especially if you plan to serve it over rice. Do you see the difference in those two descriptions? One is short and, yes, it's to the point, but it doesn't highlight the positive. The other is a little more complementary, allowing room for critique and thus future improvement.
Some people think they are the same thing. Those people are not doing the cooking.
Despite what some people say, I highly recommend this dish. Like I said, it was bursting with flavor. I used sirloin instead of flank steak because that's what I had. Same thing for onions instead of shallots. Both were great substitutions. The one ingredient you really need for this dish is fish sauce. Don't skip it. It's critical. Fish sauce brings a salty umami flavor. It's like adding anchovies to pasta or dressing: a secret ingredient that brings it up a level.
If you do plan to serve this over rice, then triple the liquid, and I think you will have a fine dish.
Spicy Beef with Peanuts and ChilesFrom Fine Cooking
Serves 4
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced on the diagonal against the grain
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 tsp. fish sauce
1/4 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1/4 cup salted peanuts
2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
2 Thai or serrano chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped (don’t seed)
1 Tbs. ginger, minced
3 Tbs. canola or peanut oil
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
Toss the steak with 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce, 1 tsp. of the fish sauce, and the salt. Combine the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce and 1 tsp. fish sauce with 1 Tbs. of the lime juice and the brown sugar and set aside.
Pulse the peanuts, shallots, and chiles in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl.
Set a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 minute. Add 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil and once it's shimmering, add the beef. Cook, stirring, until the beef just loses its raw appearance, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil and the shallot mixture, and ginger, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 2 minutes.
Return the beef to the pan. Stir the soy mixture and add it, along with half of the cilantro and basil, and cook, stirring to let the flavors meld, 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve sprinkled with the remaining lime juice, cilantro, and basil.
