Lemongrass Beef and Vermicelli Salad

This is a great light dinner on hot summer evenings. Like Thai cuisine, there is that "tastes like healthy" feel to this dish. For a nice smoky flavor, the steak is grilled, allowed to rest 5 minutes, and then sliced. Each prepare bowl of noodles and vegetables is topped with a nice bunch of hot steak.

1 Tablespoon Tamari

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil

2 Stalks fresh lemongrass, inner ribs of fat end only

1 1/4 Pound ribeye steak

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 Pound fresh rice stick noodles (Vermicelli)

1 Cup peeled, cored cucumber, sliced into sticks

Greens from 4 scallions, sliced lengthwise, and cut to two inches long

½ Cup Mung bean sprouts

2 Cups shredded lettuce

1/4 Cup fresh chopped cilantro

2 Tablespoons of roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 Thai Bird red chile, shredded

6 small carrot, Sliced into sticks

Wash for cooked sliced steak.

1 Tablespoon Marin

1 Teaspoon black soy

1 Teaspoon black vinegar

1 Teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar

Garnish with springs of cilantro and lime slices.

Thinly slice lower 6 inches of lemongrass stalks, discarding remainder of stalks. Cut off but end, slice stalks lengthwise, discard outer tough “bark layers”. Crosswise slice lemon grass into fine slices.  Chop in food processor, the Bird red chile, lemongrass and garlic. Pound pulp until the woody bits have been reduced to pulp. Add Tamari and sesame seed oil and lime juice. Marinate steak, covered with wrap, put in refrigerator overnight.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in fresh rice stick noodles. Stir briefly, cooking briefly for just ten seconds. Immediately drain vermicelli in a colander, and flush thoroughly with cold water to arrest cooking. Drain well. Toss noodles in a bowl with 6 tablespoons of Vietnamese Fish Sauce [Nuoc Cham].

Separate noodles to serving bowls. Top each bowl with scallions, cucumber slices, shredded lettuce, mung beans, springs of cilantro, carrot sticks.

Allow meat to warm for an hour. Preheat grill to high. Grill steak to medium rare, 3 minutes per side. Remove to rest 5 minutes on cutting board then slice very thin across grain with a very sharp knife. Sprinkle streak with Marin, black soy, black vinegar and seasoned rice wine vinegar. Toss several times. Correct seasoning adding black pepper to taste.

Serve with Vietnamese Fish Sauce [Nuoc Cham]