Thai Rice Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• ½ a 250g pack fine vermicelli rice noodles
• 200g bag beansprouts
• zest and juice 2 limes
• 2-3 tbsp fish or soy sauce, to taste
• 1 tsp muscovado sugar or soft brown sugar
• 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 Little Gem lettuce hearts, leaves separated and roughly torn
• 500g minced pork
• small knob grated ginger
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• 4 x 175g sirloin steaks
• 1 deseeded and shredded red chilli

Preparation

Serves 4

1. Place the noodles and beansprouts in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 4 mins, or until the noodles are tender. Drain, then cool under cold running water and drain again. Return to the bowl.
2. Stir together the lime zest and juice, fish or soy sauce and sugar. Stir into the noodles with the red onion and lettuce.
3. To make with mince, heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan and stir-fry 500g minced pork, a small knob of grated ginger and pinch cayenne pepper or chilli powder for 10 mins, until the mince is browned and cooked through. Mix into the noodles, divide between four bowls and serve warm.
4. To make with steak, make the rice noodle salad. Heat 1 tsp sunflower oil in a frying pan. Tip 2 tbsp sesame seeds onto a plate. Rub 1 tsp oil into 4 x 175g sirloin steaks and press into sesame seeds. Fry for 5 mins for medium rare, turning halfway. Leave to rest for 5 mins, then thinly slice. Toss 1 deseeded and shredded red chilli, and a handful mint leaves into noodles. Top with steak to serve.