Lemongrass Beef Skewers

From Sunset Magazine, Nite Yun.

Ingredients:

2 lbs well-marbled beef (sirloin, flank, or boned New York strip)

⅔ cup firmly packed Cambodian Spice Paste

1 tbsp honey

3 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)* or dry sherry

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp. Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce

¼ cup canola oil

1 ½ tbsp kosher salt

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Put beef in freezer to firm up, 1 to 3 hours. Cut beef into 1/2-in.-thick slices across the grain, then into small pieces about 2 in. long by 3/4 in. wide.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, including Cambodian Spice Paste. Add beef and mix to coat. Chill at least 1 day and up to 3.

Soak 8 (10-in.) wooden skewers in water at least 20 minutes (or use metal skewers). Heat a grill to high (500° to 550°) and oil grates well. Thread beef pieces lengthwise onto skewers, bunching tightly. Grill (covered on gas), turning every couple of minutes, until lightly charred but still pink in center, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with salt.