Little Thai Beef and Noodle Salads To Go

SERVES INGREDIENTS

3 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves

5cm piece of lemongrass

1 garlic clove 5cm piece of ginger 2 tsp vegetable oil 1 tsp fish sauce

700-800g beef scotch fillet

1 tblp olive oil 375g rice stick noodles

250g cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 small red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

Large handful coriander, leaves picked

Large handful Thai basil or mint, leaves picked

CHILLI LIME DRESSING 3 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, thinly shredded

80 ml ( ⁄ cup) lime juice 2½ tbsp fish sauce 3 tsp vegetable oil 1½ tsp sugar

1 small red chilli deseeded and finely chopped

METHOD

1

Roughly chop the lime leaves, lemongrass, garlic and ginger, and place in a spice grinder or small food processor with the oil and fish sauce. Grind to a paste. Rub the paste all over the beef and marinate in the fridge 2 for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.

Heat a chargrill pan over medium–high heat. Brush the beef with the olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium–rare, or until cooked to your liking, bearing in mind that it will continue to cook while it rests. Cover with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes, then slice it very thinly 3 against the grain.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Rinse under 4 cold water, drain well and set aside. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the noodles and toss

5 well, then leave to cool completely. Divide the noodles among six noodle boxes (you may need to loosen the noodles a little using a couple of forks or tongs), then top with the cherry tomatoes, onion, herbs and beef. Alternatively, put the noodles in a leakproof container and top with the remaining ingredients. Take the 6 remaining dressing in a separate container. Serve the salad with a little extra dressing spooned over the top, mixing the salad gently as you eat.