Vietnamese-style Steak Salad

Total Time: 15 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 ounces rice noodles (vermicelli)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 lb sirloin steak, trimmed well
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small boston lettuce head (about 5 cups) or 1 small bibb lettuce, shredded (about 5 cups)
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated peeled carrot
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Recipe

• 1 in a small sauce pan, cook the noodles in boiling water until soft, about 3 minutes. drain and rinse. transfer noodles to a medium bowl and let cool.
• 2 in a small jar, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and pepper flakes and shake until the dressing is well combined.
• 3 slice the steak against the grain into thin strips. ( note much easier to slice thin strips when steak is partially frozen).
• 4 in a wok or large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. add the beef, in batches, and stir-fry until just cooked through.
• 5 transfer the beef to the bowl with the noodles.
• 6 add half the dressing and toss until well coated. let cool.
• 7 in another bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumber, carrot, and mint.
• 8 (if you are making the dish as picnic fare, transfer the beef-noodle mixture to a resealable plastic bag and the vegetable mixture to a covered plastic container and place both, along with the jar of remaining dressing in a cooler. remove from cooler about 30 minutes before serving.).
• 9 just before serving, toss the greens with the remaining dressing and divide among 4 plates. top each with the beef-noodle salad.
• 10 recommended wine: gewurztraminer.