On a warm summer day on the French Riviera, one of my favourite dishes is a Vietnamese salad, a perfect blend of crunchy vegetables and Asian flavours. For this recipe, I’ve used beef but you can easily replace it with chicken or even prawns. The result will be just as delicious.
Vietnamese Beef and Rice Noodle Salad Recipe
Ingredients (for 6 people)
- 200g rice vermicelli noodles
- 350g rump steak, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 3 teaspoons of mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
- 2 medium carrots
- 1/2 medium daikon
- 1 small green cucumber
- 8 medium lettuce leaves, shredded
- 1 cup of beansprouts
- 2 teaspoons of peanut oil
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander
- 110 g unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
Preparation
- Combine beef, sauce, curry powder, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Mix well, cover then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
- Place noodles in a heatproof bowl, cover them with boiling water, let stand for 3 minutes.
- Check if they are cooked then drain and put aside.
- Cut carrots, daikon and cucumber into thin strips.
- Combine lettuce, bean sprouts and vegetable strips in a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok or pan, then add the beef in batches. Stir-fry until beef is browned and tender.
- Next combine the beef with the vegetable and noodles.
- Add the mint, coriander and peanuts and mix well.
- Finally garnish with a few mint and coriander leaves.
- If you would like some extra dressing, you can mix some lime juice, peanut oil and a splash of soy sauce.
INSIDER TIP: If you wonder where you can enjoy a delightful Vietnamese dinner on the Côte d’Azur, head to Le Pousse-Pousse restaurant in Juan-les-Pins. Situated in a pedestrian laneway, it has both indoor and outdoor seating.
