Margaret Fultons Flash-fried Beef and Vermicelli Salad, also Anzac Slice

Beef and Vermicelli Salad

I came across this recipe at Woolworths. Now, I am usually a Coles girl when it comes to supermarket chains, but my husband is a Woolworths man. Since I insisted on all 5 of us shopping together, he has insisted that it is done at Woolworths.
I saw this recipe as part of their recipe collection and thought it looked nice and easy and tasty (I then went and bought all the ingredients at Coles a few days later : p )
Let me just state, I support Coles because they are West Australian owned, he supports Woolworths because he gets frequent flyer points. As a side note, I love the Magaret Fulton/Woolworths advert that pokes fun at the Coles meals for under $10. Cracks me up every time.

Okay, so onto the recipe ... here it is (with my alterations. Next time I make it, I will make further alterations - written in red)

Margaret Fultons Flash-fried Beef and Vermicelli Salad

Ingredients:

200g rice vermicelli noodles
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, shaved with a vegeatble peeler to make ribbons
1 large carrot, shaved with a vegetable peeler to make ribbons
½ cup mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
1⁄3 cup coriander leaves, plus extra to garnish
2 tbs extra light olive oil
500g blade steak, sliced thinly (next time I will be buying a cut of quality steak and cooking that whole and medium rare, letting it rest and then thinly slicing it to get a juicier and tastier cut of meat)
2 tbs chopped toasted peanuts
Dressing:
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs Kecap Manis Soy sauce (the sauce was lovely and fresh, but it was missing something)
1 red chilli, seeded, finely chopped (optional)

Method:

1. Place noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes then drain, rinse with cold water, sprinkled lightly with oil (I used olive) and mixed through (to prevent it all sticking together in a clump) and set aside. Noodles should be tender but firm.
2. Meanwhile, to make dressing, combine lemon juice, sugar, fish sauce and chilli in a small bowl. Toss noodles together with cucumber, carrot, herbs and dressing and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large non-stick wok or frying pan on high. Quickly stir-fry beef in hot oil until colour changes. Place beef on noodles and serve. Pour over dressing and scatter with a few extra herb leaves and peanuts.

End Verdict:
Lovely light dish - better suited to warm days ie Spring/Summer. The recipe says it makes for 4, but jeez they are massive serves! You could get away with feeding 6-8 with this dish. We have heaps left over, so tomorrow I am off to get some rice paper rolls to make vietmanese fresh spring rolls for lunch!

And making them into Fresh Spring Rolls turned out to be super easy!

Anzac Slice

Anzac Slice

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
150g butter, chopped
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease and line a 3cm-deep, 19cm x 29cm (base) slice pan with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at long ends.
2. Combine flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
3. Place butter and syrup in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until smooth. Combine bicarbonate of soda and boiling water in a jug. Remove butter mixture from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda mixture. Add to flour mixture. Stir to combine.
4. Transfer to prepared pan. Using the back of a spoon, press mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Cool in pan. Cut into squares. Serve.