Ok so maybe it is a little cold for salad, but this one does have a little bit of chilli to warm you up.

I'm making it for dinner tonight because it is easy (and I like easy) and it tastes pretty good too! (This does not purport to be an authentic Thai style salad.)

photo credit: -RobW-

Ingredients (to serve 4):

• 250g rice stick noodles
• 4 150-200g pieces sirloin steak
• 1 1/2 tbs peanut oil, plus extra to brush
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 red chilli, seeds removed (or not), finely sliced
• 1 1/2 tbs caster sugar
• small piece of ginger
• 2 lebanese cucumbers, cut into strips
• 1 small red (spanish) onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• lime wedges, to serve

Method:

• Place noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 6-7 minutes until softened or follow packet instructions. Drain thoroughly and refresh if you like.

• Preheat a frypan or bbq until hot.

• Brush steaks with oil, then sear for 2 minutes on each side, if you like rare beef. (ed: If you don't, just keep cooking until the meat is all dried out and awful. )

• Transfer steaks to a warmed plate and rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

• Combine soy sauce, vinegar, chilli, sugar, peanut oil and ginger in a bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add noodles, beef, cucumber, red onion and tomato. Toss well.

• Top with mint and serve with lime wedges

While we're on the Thai style thing, there's a fabulous recipe for Thai Coconut Soup at The Food in my Beard that I think you may enjoy.

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Tags: beef, Bill Granger, Budgeting and Personal Finance, dinner, easy meal, fresh, healthy, meal, mint, noodle, oven, quick, recipe, Recipes, salad