Punchy Rice Noodle Salad
WITH SPICY LEMONGRASS FILET AND CRUNCHY VEGETABLES
Inspired by the Vietnamese rice noodle salad Bun Chay, this cooling pile of vermicelli noodles has crunchy veg, fresh herbs, lemongrass, and tender meat conspiring together to electrify your palate and rock your world. The punchy Nước Chấm sauce is its secret weapon. And before the Bun Chay Council sends me a strongly worded letter, yes, I know this isn't traditional. The sauce is usually soy-free, but that's what I had, and life's too short to let one missing ingredient stand between me and a spectacular tangle of noodles. Also, there are no peanuts. Not because I forgot them. Because I just don't like them that much, and I must exercise what little power I have. Go now, and cook freely.
Ingredients
Punchy Sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp hot water
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 Thai chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
- 1 garlic clove (minced or grated)
Lemongrass Filet
- 2 x Thick-Cut Filet (sliced)
- 1 shallot (finely chopped)
- 1 garlic clove (finely minced or crushed)
- ½ lemongrass stalk (finely minced)
- 1 Thai chilli (finely minced)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp white sugar
- Juice ½ lime
Salad
- 2 portions of vermicelli noodles (cooked according to packaging instructions)
- 1 carrot (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 1 cucumber (thinly sliced)
- 4 salad leaves (sliced into ribbons)
- Coriander (destemmed)
- Thai basil (destemmed)
- Mint (destemmed)
SERVES 2 / TAKES 20 MINUTES
preparation
Punchy Sauce
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Lemongrass Filet
- Add neutral oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add shallots, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and heat over low-medium heat. Fry for 30 seconds before adding sliced filet.
- Season with soy sauce, sugar and lime juice.
- Cook for 7-8 minutes, turning halfway through to ensure even browning. Keep an eye on it, and reduce the heat, if necessary, to prevent the alliums from burning.
- Remove from the heat.
Assembly
- Add cooked noodles to the bowl along with salad, carrots, cucumber and herbs.
- Top with the sliced filet and drizzle with the sauce.