Firecracker Beef on Noodle Salad

Tonight, K prepared this Firecracker Beef on Rice Noodle Salad, which we tend to have only in the spring/summer. It's an Asian-inspired dish found on the Chinese food page of About.com (surprise). Regardless of its authenticity, it's really good and one of my faves. 

As the name suggests, it's spicy! Note, do not (or at least try not) to inhale when searing the beef. We quickly learned that the chili pepper fills the air so you may find yourself coughing uncontrollably. Don't worry, it's worth the mild irritation.

You may find the recipe on About.com, but it's a transcript for the video demonstration by Chef John Mitzewich. I don't know about you, but recipes in paragraphs are difficult for me to follow. So, click on the Read more link below to see it in outline form and see the improvements K made.


Firecracker Beef on Rice Noodle Salad
Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins

For Beef:
3/4 lb skirt steak, well marbled, and cut into 4 pieces

For Marinade:
1 tsp of soy sauce
2 tbsp of rice vinegar
2 tbsp of chili garlic sauce (you'll find that in the Asian section)
1/2 tsp of 5-spice
1/2 tsp of ginger puree or grated ginger
3 cloves of roughly chopped garlic
some black pepper to taste
1 tbsp of vegetable oil

For Cold Noodle Salad:
8 oz rice udon noodles (our preference)
1/3 cup shredded carrot
4  6 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
 
1) Mix marinade ingredients.
2) Add beef to marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour

3) Boil rice noodles for 4 minutes (or however long package indicates—for the udon, it was 10 minutes).

4) Rinse noodles in very cold water and drain them very well. 

5) Add fish sauce, vegetable oil, half of rice vinegar (2-3 tbsp), and shredded carrot. 

6) Mix it up and refrigerate until needed. 

7) In a very hot preheated dry pan, sear the beef for 2 minutes per side. It should be rare on the inside. 

8) Let beef cool to room temperature. 

9) Add the rest of the rice vinegar (2-3 tbsp), peanuts, and cilantro and toss.

10) Slice beef across the grain. 

11) Preheat pan and sear beef slices for just a minute or two, just to caramelize the outside.

12) Add the hot slices back to the drippings and top the cold noodle salad with the beef.

13) Sprinkle peanuts on top and serve.