Delicious fragrant beef stew recipe to change the flavor for family meals

How to prepare Beef Lagu

• 1

  Prepare the vegetables

  Cut the lemongrass in half and crush it. Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic.

  After washing, cut the tomatoes into small cubes. Wash the onion and cut it into wedges.

  After washing and peeling, cut the carrots and potatoes into bite-sized pieces about the thickness of one finger joint so they don’t fall apart when stewing.

  

  
• 2

  Sauté the tomatoes

  Place a pan on the stove, add a little cooking oil, then sauté 1 teaspoon of minced onion and garlic over medium heat.

  When the onion and garlic are golden and fragrant, add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry over high heat to release their juices.

  Season with 1/5 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/5 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, along with 3 teaspoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of chili sauce for added color to the mixture.

  When the mixture has thickened, turn off the heat and transfer to a bowl.

  

  
• 3

  Prepare the beef

  To eliminate the unpleasant odor from the beef, when purchasing, rub it with coarse salt. After about 10 minutes, rinse it with water 1 to 2 times.

  After washing and draining the beef, cut it into large pieces about 2 fingers wide so that when stewing for a long time, the meat fibers will not break apart.

  How to clean and reduce the odor of beef: To remove the smell of beef, you can also use ginger, roast it, peel it, and grind it into a paste, then rub the mixture onto the meat. After about 10 minutes, rinse it with water and then marinate it with spices.

  

  
• 4

  Marinate the beef

  With the cut beef, season with 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil, 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced onion/garlic, and 1/3 of the tomato mixture.

  Mix well and marinate the beef for about 15 minutes to absorb the spices.

  Tip: The added tomato sauce will help the beef become tender faster.

  

  

  
• 5

  Sauté the beef

  Place a pan on the stove over high heat, add a little cooking oil and sauté 1 teaspoon of minced onion and garlic until golden, then add the marinated beef and all the spices to the pan and stir-fry until the beef pieces are seared.

  Tip: Sautéing the beef before braising helps the beef pieces look more appealing and the spices will penetrate the meat better.

  

  

  
• 6

  Stewing beef

  Place a pot on the stove, add 2 liters of clean water, then pour all the sautéed beef into the pot and simmer for about 1 hour over medium heat until the beef is tender.

  Tip: To save time when stewing the beef, you can use a pressure cooker for this step.

  

  
• 7

  Cooking Lagu

  After the beef is tender, pour all the remaining tomatoes into the pot.

  Add the lemongrass, potatoes, and carrots, then cook over high heat until the potatoes and carrots start to soften.

  Add a little green pepper, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with clean water, stir well to combine the spices.

  Finally, add the onion and stir again before turning off the heat to complete.

  Note:

  • Depending on your preference, you can adjust the amount of cornstarch added to achieve the desired thickness for the lagu.
  • You can add seasonings to better suit your family’s taste.
  • It’s best to add the onion last if you like it to still have some crunch!

  

  

  

  
• 8

  Final Product

  The finished lagu beef dish will have a shiny reddish-brown color along with a fragrant aroma from tomatoes mixed with a hint of lemongrass and onion.

  The piece of beef when bitten into will feel tender and melt in your mouth. The potatoes will be chewy and fragrant, blending with the rich flavor from the broth, leaving a sweet aftertaste on the tongue.

  Lagu beef is best served with bread and can be dipped in a bit of chili salt to better suit your taste!