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Grilled steak and vermicelli salad with spicy dressing and smashed cucumbers

Danielle Alvarez
Danielle Alvarez

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Like its bashed cucumbers, this noodle salad is smashing.
Like its bashed cucumbers, this noodle salad is smashing.William Meppem

Simply grilled steaks and a bright, herbaceous salad are the very stuff of easy weekend meal prep – and a perfect picnic option on a warm day. The flavours here really pack a punch, so use more or less chilli to suit your palate, but do try to use all the herbs I’ve suggested here: they really do make this salad.

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Ingredients

FOR THE STEAK MARINADE

  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed oil)

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

  • 4 New York strip (or sirloin) steaks (150g-200g each)

FOR THE vermicelli SALAD

  • 200g dried vermicelli noodles

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • 1-2 fresh bird’s eye chillies (stem and seeds removed)

  • 2 tsp white sugar

  • 2 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

  • 120ml fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

  • 120ml fish sauce

  • 120ml neutral oil (such as avocado or grapeseed oil)

  • ½ red onion, sliced thinly

  • 1 telegraph cucumber

  • 4 spring onions, sliced thinly

  • ½ cup Thai basil leaves, loosely packed

  • ½ cup fresh coriander (stems included), loosely packed

  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed

Method

  1. Step 1

    To make the steak marinade, combine the dark soy sauce, neutral oil and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Brush the marinade onto both sides of the steaks and leave them to come to room temperature. Heat a charcoal or gas grill, or an indoor grill pan, to a medium-high heat in preparation for cooking the steaks.

  2. Step 2

    Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the noodles. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water and set aside to continue draining while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.

  3. Step 3

    To make the dressing, use a large mortar and pestle, preferably, or a food processor. Combine the garlic and the bird’s eye chillies and crush to form a smooth paste. Add the sugar and crush in the tomatoes. It needn’t be completely smooth: a few chunks are OK. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the lime juice, fish sauce and neutral oil. Stir to combine.

  4. Step 4

    Rinse the red onion slices under cold running water and then add them to the dressing. Set aside.

  5. Step 5

    Use a rolling pin or a heavy mallet to break apart the cucumber – you want irregular, bite-sized pieces – and set aside.

  6. Step 6

    Finely chop half of each quantity of the herbs, leaving the rest for the salad garnish.

  7. Step 7

    Cook your steaks for 2-3 minutes per side or to an internal temperature of about 55C-58C medium-rare. Cook for longer if you like them well-done and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing very thinly.

  8. Step 8

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the noodles, dressing, cucumber and chopped herbs and toss to combine. Lay this on the base of a large platter or on individual plates. Place the sliced steak on top. Garnish with the spring onions and the remaining fresh herbs, and serve.

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Danielle AlvarezDanielle Alvarez is a chef, recipe writer and host of Good Food Kitchen.

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Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/recipes/grilled-steak-and-vermicelli-salad-with-spicy-dressing-and-smashed-cucumbers-20240408-p5fi6l.html