Asian Steak And Noodle Salad

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup asian fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 lbs flank steaks
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons water
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons asian fish sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot (2 medium)
• 8 ounces dried vermicelli, rice-stick noodles*
• 2 medium granny smith apples
• 7 ounces asian mixed salad greens (16 cups loosely packed, see cooks' note, below)
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into pieces if large
• 1/2 cup dry roasted salted peanut, chopped (sometimes labeled "cocktail peanuts")

Recipe

• 1 special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer
• 2 marinate and grill steak:.
• 3 whisk together fish sauce, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. pour marinade into a large sealable plastic bag. pat steak dry and place in bag, then press out excess air and seal bag. turn bag over 2 or 3 times to coat meat, then place in a shallow dish (in case of leaks) and chill at least 4 hours and up to 8. bring steak to room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
• 4 prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).
• 5 remove steak from marinade (discard marinade) and pat dry with paper towels. grill, uncovered unless using a gas grill, over direct heat, turning over once, until medium-rare, 12 to 14 minutes total.
• 6 transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand, uncovered, about 15 minutes.
• 7 assemble salad while steak rests:.
• 8 whisk together lime juice, water, sugar, fish sauce, and red-pepper flakes in a bowl until sugar is dissolved, then stir in shallots.
• 9 cook noodles in a 5-quart pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. drain in a colander, then rinse under cold water and drain well. transfer to a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup dressing. 3working around core of each apple, cut thin slices (about 1/8 inch thick) with slicer, then stack slices. cut slices lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide matchsticks.
• 10 combine apples, greens, and mint in a large bowl. add 1/2 cup dressing and toss well to coat.
• 11 thinly slice steak across the grain.
• 12 arrange noodles on a large platter and mound greens on top of noodles. arrange steak slices on greens and sprinkle with peanuts. serve at room temperature with remaining dressing on the side.
• 13 cooks' notes:.
• 14 • packaged asian salad mix can be found at many supermarkets, or you can use a blend of greens such as tatsoi, mizuna, baby arugula, mustard greens, or pea shoots.
• 15 • if you aren't able to grill outdoors, steak can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over moderately high heat, turning over once, until medium-rare, 12 to 14 minutes total.
• 16 • dressing can be made 3 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
• 17 *found in asian markets and uwajimaya.com.