Steak Bun (Vietnamese Noodle Bowl)

“Bun” is a Vietnamese noodle dish typically made with cold rice noodles, lots of crunchy vegetables and thinly sliced beef or pork all tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce. Crazy good from "A Cut Above the Rest: 4 Delicious Ways to Cook Steak This Summer," Eating Well, August 2010.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon canola oil
• 1  lb  sirloin steaks (1-1 1/4 inches thick) or 1  strip  steak, trimmed (1-1 1/4 inches thick)
• 6  ounces  wide rice noodles
• 1⁄2 cup rice vinegar
• 2  tablespoons fish sauce
• 2  tablespoons sugar, to taste
• 4  cups  shredded napa cabbage
• 1 1⁄2 cups  shredded carrots
• 1  cup  thinly sliced radish
• 1  cup fresh basil, and slivered or 1  cup  slivered of fresh mint, slivered
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat until shimmering. Reduce heat to medium, add steak and cook, turning once until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook rice noodles until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water.
3. Whisk vinegar, fish sauce and sugar to taste in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Slice the steak into thin matchsticks. Add the steak and any accumulated juices to the bowl along with the noodles, cabbage, carrot, radishes, basil and/or mint and peanuts; toss to combine. Serve immediately.