Vietnamese Bun Bo Xao Beef Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 1 stem lemongrass (the tender white part), minced
• 1 lb. steak, sliced thin against the grain and at an angle
• 2 tsp crushed fresh garlic
• 2 tbsps + 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 lb. vermicelli noodles, cooked
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 large english cucumber (or 3 persian cucumbers), halved and sliced
• 10 perilla leaves (also known as shiso leaves or sesame leaves – can be found in some asian markets)
• 10 fresh basil leaves if you can’t find perilla/shiso leaves
• 10 mint leaves
• 10 vietnamese mint leaves
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• vietnamese pickled daikon and carrots
• chopped peanuts
• fried shallots (can be found in asian markets)
• nuoc cham
• jicama, julienned
• romaine lettuce, shredded (optional – adds crunch)
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1 lb. daikon radish, peeled and julienned
• 2 tsps salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 limes, juice of
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• 4 tbsps fish sauce
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• chile-garlic paste to taste (or finely sliced hot chiles)