Vietnamese beef salad with healthy rice noodles and a lime, Asian salad dressing. This aromatic and zesty Beef salad recipe will surely bring out many a smile with its nutritious ingredients and satisfying Asian flavours.
2medium carrotspeeled and cut into julienne strips
1large cucumbersliced into ribbons with a veg peeler
2baby gem lettuceroughly chopped
Handful of fresh corianderroughly chopped
10-15fresh mint leavestorn
Red chillifinely sliced with seeds left in
1cupdried rice noodles
For the beef marinade:
Juice of 2 limes
1teaspoonfish sauce
1teaspoongarlic ginger paste
For the Asian salad dressing:
2tablespoonsesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1teaspoonfish sauce
1tablespoonhoney
Instructions
Remove steaks from fridge and bring up to room temperature. In a small dish make up the marinade by mixing together the juice of 2 limes, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of garlic ginger paste. Pour the marinade over the steaks, cover and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
Peel slice and chop the carrots, cucumber, lettuce leaves, fresh coriander, mint leaves and red chilli. Chop and slice these to your liking or as directed in the above ingredients list. Place the prepared salad in a large bowl.
Cooking rice noodles is so, so simple. Just place the noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to sit for 1 minute then drain and rinse under the cold water tap.Add the cooked noodles to the bowl with the rest of the salad, then cover and place in the fridge.
Place a griddle pan on a medium heat. When the pan is hot, carefully place in the steaks. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes (for pink in the middle). Guidance on steak cooking times. TIP: Don't be tempted to move the steaks during each of the 4 minutes. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
Its really important to rest your steak once its been pan fried. Remove from the pan and loosely wrap in foil. Leave on the side for at least 3 minutes before slicing and serving.
In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoon sesame oil, juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well into an emulsion. TIP: The dressing will separate if left to sit - so remember to give it a final stir before pouring over your Asian salad.
Remove the salad bowl from the fridge. Toss and mix together the chopped salad and noodles. Divide the noodle salad between 4 bowls.Â
Next, unwrap the steak and transfer to a chopping board. Thinly slice the steak and place the beef strips on top of the salad in each bowl. Finally, pour over the Asian salad dressing and serve.Â
Video
Notes
Remove the steaks from the fridge and place them in a bowl at least a half an hour before you plan to cook them. This allows time for the marinade to soak in and for the steaks to come up to room temperature.
Don’t move the steaks or flip them during the 4 minutes on each side cooking time. If they begin to smoke a lot, reduce the heat slightly.
It is very important to let your steaks rest after pan frying. Keep them loosely wrapped in foil for the 3-5 minutes of resting time. This will keep them hot but allow them to rest as necessary.
The Asian salad dressing will separate if left to sit. Give it a stir before pouring it over your salad.
Best cut of beef to use: Rump or sirloin steaks that can be pan fried in minutes will provide delicious pink strips of beef to top this Vietnamese noodle salad (cook for longer if you prefer your steak medium-well done).