Bun Bo (grilled Lemongrass Beef Noodle Salad)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 225 g rice vermicelli
• 450 g beef sirloin or 450 g flank steaks or 450 g top round beef, cut into strips
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 stalks lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 200 g lettuce, shredded
• 1 cucumber, peeled and shredded
• 225 g bean sprouts
• 40 g fresh mint leaves
• 40 g coriander, coarsely chopped (cilantro)
• 150 g carrots, shredded
• 100 g crushed roasted peanuts

Recipe

• 1 to make the marinade paste, pound the onion, garlic and lemongrass with a mortar and pestle or with a food processor until coarse. add in the salt, black pepper, curry powder if desired, and fish sauce. stir mixture over the beef and marinate for 1 hour or overnight if possible.
• 2 bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the vermicelli noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender. drain, refresh under cold water, drain again and set aside.
• 3 thread the meat strips onto the bamboo skewers. grill till done to taste.
• 4 to serve, place a portion of noodles in a large soup bowl. then place the beef, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, mint leaves, fresh coriander, carrot and 1 teaspoon crushed peanuts on top of the noodles. dress the ingredients with 2 tablespoons nuoc cham, or more to taste - i use around 4 tablespoons for each serving. toss the ingredients together and serve. repeat the process for each serving.