Beef Soup with Rice Noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

350g fillet steak
2 tsp soy sauce
¼ cup (60ml) coconut milk
1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1 tbsp grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar
2 tsp sambal oelek
1 tsp oil
125g dried rice vermicelli
1.5 litres beef stock
2 tbsp grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar, extra
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 small Lebanese cucumber
1 cup (90g) bean sprouts, scraggly ends removed
2 lettuce leaves, cut in small pieces
6 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
½ cup (80g) unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped


Method:

• Trim the meat of any fat and sinew and slice it evenly across the grain into thin slices.
• Combine the meat, soy sauce, coconut milk, peanut butter, sugar and sambal oelek. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the meat in small batches over high heat for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove from heat and cover.
• Soak the vermicelli in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain.
• Place the stock in a large pan and bring to the boil. When the stock is boiling, add the extra sugar and fish sauce.
• Cut the cucumber in quarters lengthways and then into thin slices. Place about 1 tablespoon cucumber slices in each individual serving bowl; divide the bean sprouts, pieces of lettuce and mint leaves evenly between bowls. Place some vermicelli and then a ladleful of stock in each bowl. Top with slices of cooked beef, sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.

Nutrition per serve:
Protein 30g
Fat 25g
Carbohydrate 45g
Dietary Fibre 5g
Cholesterol 65mg
2150 kj (515 cal)