Glad you tasted everything, it would be awful to see all that lovely food and not be able to eat it!

For the lemongrass beef, from Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet:

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and minced
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 bird or serrano chile, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 pound beef rump (we use a large steak)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Combine the lemongrass, garlic, shallots and chilli in a mortar and pestle to a paste.

Transfer the paste to a bowl, add the fish sauce, lime juice and water and blend. Add the sesame oil and stir well. Set aside.

Cut the meat into slices, against the grain. Then cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Place the meat in a shallow bowl, add the marinade and mix well, ensuring the meat is well coated. Cover and marinate for 1 hour at room temperatue or up to 8 hours in the fridge.

Thread the meat onto skewers and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Grill for 1 minute per side for medium-rare.

re: your note. I did eat a bit of everything, but admit I was ready to pop out of my dress by the evening!