Vietnamese Steak & Rice Noodle Salad

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the noodles.

While the water heats, wash and dry the carrots, cucumber, cabbage, green onions, lime, chile, cilantro and mint.

For this step: carrots, cucumber, Napa cabbage, green onions, lime, Fresno chile, Fresh cilantro, Fresh mint

Halve the lime and squeeze its juice into a large bowl. Stem and finely chop the chile, and peel and mince the garlic. Add both to the bowl with the brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce and water, and stir until the sugar dissolves.

For this step: garlic, light brown sugar, rice vinegar, fish sauce, water

Trim and peel the carrots, then keep peeling them into long ribbons. Put the ribbons in a medium bowl.

Once the water boils, add the noodles and cook, stirring now and then so they don't stick, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

For this step: flat rice noodles

While the noodles cook, trim the cucumber and green onions and cut the core out of the cabbage. Thinly slice all three and add them to the carrot ribbons.

When the noodles are tender, drain them and rinse under cold water until cool. Shake off the water, add the noodles and vegetables to the dressing, and toss. Set the salad aside.

Pat the steak dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper.

For this step: top sirloin steak, Salt, Black pepper

Heat a thin layer of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

For this step: Canola oil

Once the oil shimmers, add the steak and sear, turning once, until deeply browned and cooked to your preferred doneness, 5 to 8 minutes total.

When the steak is done, move it to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes.

While the steak rests, roughly chop the peanuts. Pick the cilantro and mint leaves and roughly chop them, then toss most of the herbs through the noodle salad, keeping the rest for the top.

For this step: roasted peanuts

Slice the steak thinly against the grain. Divide the noodle salad among bowls and top with the steak, peanuts and the rest of the herbs. Spoon any dressing left in the bowl over the top.