Thai Beef Salad

Serves: 4
Easy
Time: 40 minutes + 1 hour marinating

INGREDIENTS:

Beef Skewers
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised 
2 tablespoons soy sauce 
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1.2kg rump steak, cubed 
1 tablespoon peanut oil

Salad
1 large carrot, julienned (matchsticks)
1 telegraph cucumber, cut into batons
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons caster sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
200g vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
2 spring onions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 bunch Thai basil
1 bunch mint
1 bunch coriander
2 long red chillies, sliced
½ cup fried shallots
1 lime, halved

Dressing
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil

METHOD:

1. To prepare the beef skewers, place all the ingredients (except the beef and oil) in a shallow glass bowl or ceramic dish and mix well. Add the beef and turn to coat in the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge to marinate for 1 hour. 

2. Meanwhile, for the salad, place the carrot and cucumber in a bowl and add the salt. Set aside for 10 minutes, for the salt to draw out the moisture. Add the sugar and vinegar and stir well. Add 1 cup of cold water, cover and put into the fridge for 1 hour, to pickle. 

3. To make the dressing, combine the ingredients in a small serving bowl. 

4. Heat a barbecue plate over a medium-high heat. Thread the meat evenly onto 12 skewers. Grease the barbecue plate with the peanut oil and cook the skewers for 10 minutes, turning often to cook evenly.

5. Drain the pickled vegetables and assemble on a serving tray with the rice noodles, spring onions, sugar snaps and herbs. Garnish with chilli, fried shallots and lime halves. Serve with the beef skewers and dressing.