From China to Laos
to Vietnam, beef stars in Asian street
food. Wherever
a vendor can set up a wok and some steamer
baskets, or a brazier, or park a dumpling
cart, people will gather to have a snack
or a quick but nutritious meal. Chinese
meat-filled steamed dumplings, potstickers
and skewered grilled beef on rice noodles
are just a few of the ways Asian diners
can satisfy their appetite for beef on
the street.
Sometimes the beef isn’t even cooked. Saa jin is a sort of Thai carpaccio,
made of lean beef sliced very thin, marinated briefly in lime juice, then garnished
with finely minced shallots, lemongrass and ginger and a sprinkling of fresh
coriander (cilantro). Imagine the clean, vibrant taste of those flavors on the
tongue. In a Western restaurant, this exotic combination would make a fresh,
original match for sparkling wine.
In Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet (Artisan, 2000),
food writers Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
write about a beef tartare they encountered
several times in China’s Yunnan province.
Minced fine, the raw beef was seasoned with
Sichuan peppercorns, salt and fresh coriander
leaves, then served with pieces of cabbage
for scooping (lettuce cups or cucumber slices
would also work). This easy dish would make
a great addition to a small-plate menu as
a match for craft beers or sparkling wine.
In China, noodle and dumpling vendors
sprout on street corners at night and
are gone before morning, their simple equipment packed up and carted off. Even
sophisticated Chinese diners never lose a taste for humble won ton and just-fried
potstickers and will seek out the best of these itinerant chefs.
America may have no dumpling vendors, but plump, browned potstickers have legions
of fans and need not be limited to Chinese restaurants. Filled with gingered
beef and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce, they are a winning small-plate
idea.
