Vietnamese Beef Salad Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine sugar, rice vinegar and lime juice and stir to dissolve. Add fish sauce, garlic, ginger, chiles and 1/2 cup water and stir together. Let sit for 15 minutes for flavors to meld. (May be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add rice noodles, stir and turn off heat. Let noodles soften (5 to 8 minutes, depending on brand), then drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, combine beef, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and lemon grass in a bowl. Massage seasoning into beef and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Line a serving bowl or four individual large wide soup bowls with a few lettuce leaves and top with noodles.
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. When wok is nearly smoking, add beef and quickly stir-fry until lightly browned and just cooked, about 2 minutes. Work in batches if necessary so meat browns and doesn't steam. (If you do not have a wok, you may use a cast iron skillet and work in batches.)
• Top noodles with cooked beef, scallions, carrot, cucumber and daikon. Sprinkle with herbs, crushed peanuts and fried shallots (add sprouts if using). Drizzle lightly with dipping sauce and pass remaining sauce at table.

Steps:

• Combine all dressing ingredients; set aside.
• Gently combine all salad ingredients and arrange on a platter.
• To prepare the beef: Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce and beef in a medium bowl and toss to coat the meat evenly.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry quickly until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add the beef and quickly stir-fry it until just charred on the edges, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add to the bowl with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the pineapple and Asian basil to the beef mixture.
• Arrange the beef mixture and all its juices on the watercress and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Dry-fry the beef in a frying pan until nicely browned and starting to crisp, then pour off any fat. Add the chopped chilli and garlic, and fry for a few more mins. Add the oyster sauce and lime juice, and cook for another 5 mins until sticky.
• To assemble the salad, divide the rice noodles between bowls, top with the beef, then place a handful of carrot, beansprouts and mint leaves around each bowl. Sprinkle with peanuts and the sliced chilli. Before eating, toss all the ingredients together.