This Vietnamese-style noodle salad with seared tuna makes a light and healthy supper.
Ingredients
- For the tuna
- 400g/14oz piece
fresh tuna, sliced into 4 steaks - 2
lemongrass stems, split lengthways, finely chopped - 2 tbsp
soy sauce - 1 tbsp
lime juice - 1 tbsp vegetable
oil
- 400g/14oz piece
- For the noodle salad
- 250g/9oz fine
rice noodles - 1½
limes, juice only - 2
garlic cloves, crushed - 1 tbsp finely grated
ginger - 3 tbsp Vietnamese or Thai
fish sauce (nước chấm or nam pla) - 2 red
chillies, finely chopped - 4 tbsp roasted unsalted
peanuts - 4
spring onions, finely sliced - large bunch
Thai basil, leaves picked - 3 tbsp shredded
mint leaves
- 250g/9oz fine
Preparation method
For the tuna, mix the lemongrass, soy sauce, lime juice and vegetable oil in a bowl until well combined. Add the tuna steaks and marinate in the fridge for one hour.
Heat a griddle pan until very hot.
Sear each piece of tuna for 30 seconds on each side, then remove from the pan.
Meanwhile, for noodle salad, pour boiling water over the noodles and leave to soak for five minutes.
Place the lime juice, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, chillies and peanuts into a pestle and mortar and crush to a fine paste.
Drain the noodles and toss with two-thirds of the dressing. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Add the spring onions, holy basil and mint and mix until well combined.
To serve, carve the tuna into thick slices. Pile the noodle salad onto serving plates and top with the tuna slices.