Name: Vietnamese Beef Salad with Peanuts and Mint
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: vietnamese
Ingredients: 300 g beef steak, thinly sliced; 1 tbs peanut oil; 1 pinch ground black pepper *to taste; 1/2 iceberg lettuce sliced; 100 g bean sprouts; 2 tbs carrot diced; 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbs water; 2 tsp white vinegar; 1 tbs fresh mint chopped; 80 g rice vermicelli noodles; 1 tbs cucumber chopped; 1 tbs roasted peanuts finely chopped *to serve; 3 tsp sugar; 4 tbs hot water; 2 tsp sambal oelek *to taste; 1 garlic clove crushed large; 3 tsp grated ginger; 4 tsp fish sauce *to taste

by jmbau Last updated on 07/09/2019

Light refreshing main meal for hot weather, with a combination of hot and cold. It is full of flavour. Good enough for entertaining, but easy to make. A Vietnamese family I was friends with cooked me this for lunch one day, and I was hooked. This is my simplified take on the recipe and method. - jmbau

Ingredients

300 g beef steak, thinly sliced
1 tbs peanut oil
1 pinch ground black pepper *to taste
1/2 iceberg lettuce sliced
100 g bean sprouts
2 tbs carrot diced
1 tsp sugar
2 tbs water
2 tsp white vinegar
1 tbs fresh mint chopped
80 g rice vermicelli noodles
1 tbs cucumber chopped
1 tbs roasted peanuts finely chopped *to serve

Fish sauce

3 tsp sugar
4 tbs hot water
2 tsp sambal oelek *to taste
1 garlic clove crushed large
3 tsp grated ginger
4 tsp fish sauce *to taste

Method

Step 1

Mix the sugar, water and white vinegar until dissolved. Add carrots, then microwave or boil for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Drain and set aside.
Step 2

Fish sauce: Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, then add other ingredients to taste. Set aside in a serving bowl.
Step 3

In serving bowls, place the sliced lettuce, then the pickled carrots, bean sprouts and chopped cucumber on top. Sprinkle on the chopped mint.
Step 4

Place the vermicelli in very hot water, just below boiling, for 3-5 minutes or until cooked. Drain, then add vermicelli to the serving bowls.
Step 5

Heat oil in a wok or pan until it smokes. Stir fry the beef briefly for 2-3 minutes until browned. Don’t overcook.
Step 6

Add beef to the serving bowls.
Step 7

Top with chopped peanuts and serve with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

You can pickle the carrots and make the fish sauce ahead, and then later just cook the vermicelli and the beef, and assemble. Sunflower oil can substitute peanut oil. Cost lettuce can be used. Coriander can substitute mint. Chilli can substitute sambal oelek.