Rice noodle salad with beef and lemongrass

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 200 g rump steak(s), cut into thin strips
• 2 tbsp oil, peanut or soybean oil
• 100 g noodles (fine rice noodles)
• 1 handful of sprouts (soybean sprouts), prepared
• 1 handful of coriander and mint leaves, each
• 1 small carrot(s), cut into julienne strips
• 10 cm cucumber(s), peeled, halved lengthwise, pitted, halved again lengthwise, and cut into thin slices.
• 2 leaves of iceberg lettuce, large, coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks of lemongrass, only the front soft white part
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion(s), halved and cut into thin rings
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp salt, approx.
• ¼ tsp pepper, ground black
• ¼ tsp sugar, fine
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar (white rice vinegar)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sugar, fine
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 chili peppers, long-red Thai
• 1 stalk of lemongrass, only the front soft white part
• some peanuts, roasted and chopped
• Shallot(s), fried (Asian store)
• Lime(s) – wedges

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest period approx. 1 day; Total time approx. 1 day 40 minutes

For the marinade, chop the garlic and lemongrass and grind them into a paste with the salt in a mortar and pestle. Mix with the remaining marinade ingredients. In a bowl, mix the beef strips with the marinade and marinate in a cool place for a few hours, or preferably overnight. Let the beef stand at room temperature for 1 hour before preparation. For the salad dressing, grind the chilies and garlic into a paste in a mortar and pestle. Mix with the sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, vinegar, and water until the sugar has dissolved. Add the finely chopped lemongrass. Pour hot water over the rice noodle vermicelli and soak for 2 minutes (or as directed on the package). Drain and rinse with cold water, drain well, and cut the noodles into thirds lengthwise using scissors. Prepare the fresh salad ingredients. Place the rice noodles in a bowl and, little by little, gently but thoroughly toss with the fresh salad ingredients. Add the salad dressing and mix well again. Heat the oil in a wok until smoking hot and stir-fry the beef slices in batches until cooked through. Transfer the salad to serving bowls or platters, arrange the beef strips on top, and sprinkle with the peanuts and fried shallots. Serve with lime wedges for drizzling.