Chilli & Basil Beef Vermicelli

Feeds 3-4

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This dish was completely improvised after not being able to get the ingredients for another dish I was planning on making. So I stood in the aisle of the tiny four square down the road staring at the shelves waiting for inspiration to strike. It didn't. So I grabbed something a little interesting - and by that I mean noodles that I rarely cook with - and started to build from there.

Before I started this website I would just look on Instagram to find recipes, but now I'm having to be creative with what I make. It's a massive learning curve to know what works together, what doesn't, what will taste good, what will be inventive or interesting etc. However i'm seeing myself learn a lot through trial and error, leading me to a point where I can form an idea for a recipe in the middle of a store. It sucks when the recipes don't turn out well, but that too teaches me something valuable.

I'm so happy that so many people have sent me messages to say that they've been keeping up with the blog and have been enjoying the recipes thus far! I'm always working to update and improve them the more that I learn, test, try, fail, or succeed.

Thanks for sticking with me so far!

Sending lots of love from me xx

PRO TIPS

• Marinate your steak if you have the foresight to do it. Even if just in some lime juice, it will tenderise the meat and make your meal that much better.

• You can choose to chuck more veggies in this if you want, it's pretty much up to you what you like! Broccolini, snap peas, and edamame are great options.

• TASTE TASTE TASTE! Taste the sauce/dish before serving and use your palate to decide if it needs more of something - not salty enough? More soy sauce. Not sweet enough? More honey. Not spicy enough? More chilli.

• Don't skimp on the basil. Load this bad boy up with fresh basil, it makes all the difference because the dish is pretty simple on it's own.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 rump steaks

• Juice of 1 lime

• Juice of 1 orange

• 4 tablespoons of honey

• 1/4 cup of soy sauce (or coconut aminos)

• 3 tablespoons of canola oil

• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 white onion, thinly sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

• 1 birds eye chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

• 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger

• 4 cups of cooked vermicelli noodles (follow packet instructions)

• 2 cups of fresh basil

• 1 regular, mild, red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced

• Optional: pickled ginger (sushi ginger) for serving

Method

1. Pour half of the lime juice over your steak and leave to tenderise (either in the fridge for a few hours or out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking). Make sure the steak is room temperature before cooking.

2. In a pyrex jug or mixing bowl, mix together the other half of the lime juice, the orange juice, the honey, the soy sauce, the canola oil, and the fish sauce.

3. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add your sauce to frying pan and wait until the sauce reaches a boil. Continuously stir it for 2-3 minutes and then pour it into a heat proof dish/back into the pyrex jug.

4. Cook the steak to your preferred doneness. Then leave aside to rest.

5. Add your olive oil to the pan. Add in your onions and your bell peppers and sauté until soft - about 5-7 minutes. Add in your ginger, birds eye chilli, and garlic. Sauté for a further 1-2 minutes.

6. Lower the heat right down and stir through your sauce, noodles, and beef.

7. Finally, stir through half of your basil. Sprinkle the remaining half on top when ready to serve along with your mild chilli slices and pickled ginger.

8. ENJOY!

Stay Salty,

Romy xx