Star Anise Beef and Noodle Salad
Tasty Asian Noodle Salad with Zesty Dressing
Serves
6 - 8
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Cheaper cuts of meat are always suitable for marinating and long, slow cooking. Ask your butcher for thin flank steak, a tasty, circular piece of meat that is tender when cooked slowly. There are several stages to this recipe but none are time-consuming, and the flavours that hint at northern Asian are evident in the vegetables, flat noodles and delicious star anise aromas of the beef.
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ShareIngredients
1kg (1-2 pieces) Quality Mark beef flanki
2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 long strip (10-15cm) of orange zest
2 Tbsp white sugar
1 whole star-anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 spring onions
sliced6cm knob fresh ginger
grated
1 bulb fennel
sliced1 carrots
cut into sticks300g green beans
1 cup mung bean sprouts
4 bundles noodles
2 spring onions
finely sliced1 garlic clove
crushed2cm knob fresh ginger
finely slicedJuice and zest of 1 orange juice
4 Tbsp soy sauce
A pinch of white sugar
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
3 Tbsp peanut oil
3 Tbsp sesame oil
1/3 cup fresh coriander
Method
Cut the meat lengthwise with the grain into long strips around 8cm wide (you should get two strips from each piece).
Heat a large frying pan and add the oil.
Over a high heat, sear the meat briefly on all sides until brown and then pat dry with paper towels.
Bring the remaining beef ingredients to a simmer in a large pan and add the seared beef strips.
Simmer for 1½ hours, turning frequently, until tender.
If the liquid seems to dry up, just add a little water.
Allow the beef to cool in the liquid.
To prepare the vegetables, bring a pan of salted water to the boil.
Plunge the fennel into the water for 1 minute to blanch.
Remove from the heat, strain well, cool in iced water and reserve.
Repeat this process with the carrot, blanching for 2 minutes.
Repeat again with the beans, which will only need 1 minute and must be cooled in iced water to retain their bright green colour.
Trim the ends of the bean sprouts if necessary.
To cook the noodles, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the noodles, boiling for 3 minutes or according to the pack instructions. Drain well.
Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing except the coriander leaves. To assemble the salad, place the noodles on a large platter. Scatter the vegetables on top.
Cut the strips of meat into thin slices and place over the centre of the vegetables.
Pour over the dressing and sprinkle with the fresh coriander leaves.
Nutrition Information per Serving (452g)
This nutrition analysis is based on 8 serves.
