Vietnamese-Style Lemongrass Beef Skillet

Prepare the ingredients: Trim the tough outer layers of 3 lemongrass stalks, then finely mince the tender white inner parts. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Thinly slice 1 Thai red chili. Trim 8 oz of sugar snap peas. Chop 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro. Squeeze 2 medium limes to yield about 3 tbsp of fresh juice.

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add 6 oz of uncooked rice noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Drain the noodles, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside in a bowl. Wipe the skillet completely dry.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp of fish sauce, 1.5 tbsp of brown sugar, and 2 tbsp of the fresh lime juice until the sugar is fully dissolved. Set the sauce mixture aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced lemongrass and sliced Thai red chili; sauté for 2 minutes until highly fragrant. Add the 4 minced garlic cloves and sauté for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent the garlic from burning.

Add 3 lb of raw ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, for 8 to 10 minutes until the beef is completely browned and cooked through.

Pour the fish sauce and lime mixture over the beef. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to coat and glaze the beef in the sauce.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully transfer exactly half of the cooked lemongrass beef (the yield from 1.5 lb of the raw beef) into an airtight container. Allow it to cool, then cover and refrigerate to reserve for Day 7. When reheating this reserved portion on Day 7, stir-fry it with 1 tsp of fresh vegetable oil and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice to neutralize any oxidized flavors.

Return the skillet containing the remaining beef to medium heat. Add 8 oz of trimmed sugar snap peas and toss for 2 minutes until they are tender-crisp.

Add the cooked rice noodles to the skillet. Toss all ingredients together for 1 to 2 minutes until the noodles are thoroughly warmed through and coated in the pan juices.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp of fresh lime juice and 1/2 cup of chopped fresh cilantro. Divide into bowls and serve immediately.