SAIGON BEEF

This recipe is from epicurious.com. I just made a few small substitutions and it was really good, different ....... and low carb!

SAUCE:
3 tablespoons peeled and grated (or finely chopped) fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil (or any vegetable oil)
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or other Asian hot chile sauce
4 tablespoons mirin or sherry
1/2 cup sugar (if you are going carb free, use stevia or splenda in proportions to equal 1/2 cup sugar)

BEEF:
2 lb sirloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (or lean stew meat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons sesame oil (or any vegetable oil)
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce or other Asian hot chile sauce
1 cup mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
2/3 cup well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)

CONDIMENTS:
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 scallions, chopped or 1/2 cup diced onion
6 baby carrots, thinly sliced

Make chile garlic sauce:
Stir together ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, and mirin in a 1-quart heavy saucepan and boil over moderate heat 5 minutes. Stir in sugar and simmer until thickened and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Decrease to simmer.

Make beef:
Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté steak, stirring occasionally, until browned on outside but still pink inside, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion, Sriracha sauce, and mirin and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened.

To serve:
Put beef, sauce, lime wedges (for squeezing), and remaining condiments each in a separate bowl. Spoon beef into lettuce leaves and top with condiments and sauce, then wrap up.