Bun Bo Xa Ot Vietnamese Steak and Rice Noodle Salad as Made by Diep

Make the lemongrass chili oil: Chop the bottom 4 inches (10 cm) from the lemongrass stalks and discard the tops. Peel off any tough outer layers and discard, then thinly slice the remaining lemongrass. Process the sliced lemongrass in a food processor until very finely minced. You should have about 1 cup (130 g) total.

In a large enameled Dutch oven, heat the canola oil over high heat until it reaches 300°F (150°C). Add the garlic and lemongrass to the hot oil and cook until the garlic is golden brown and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots. Reduce the heat to very low and add the red pepper flakes. Cook until extremely aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and water. Continue cooking for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the garlic from scorching at the bottom, until the oil has turned red. Remove the pot from the heat and let the chili oil cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 weeks.

Make the pickles: Place the daikon and carrots in a deep bowl.

In a small pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, garlic and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the brine over the vegetables and let sit for at least 1 hour. The pickles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Make the nuoc cham: In a small pot, bring the water and sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the vinegar and fish sauce. Remove the pot from the heat and let the nuoc cham cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 weeks.

Make the steak: Rub the steak with the rice bran oil and sprinkle salt on both sides.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Sear the steak in the hot skillet until the internal temperature reaches 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare, 6–10 minutes, turning the steak as needed to ensure even cooking. The timing of the steak will depend largely on the thickness of the meat. Remove the steak from the skillet and let rest for 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.

To serve, add the rice noodles to a wide, shallow dish. Arrange the lettuce, basil, mint, pickles, fried shallots, and peanuts on top. Arrange the beef on top and spoon over some nuoc cham and lemongrass chili oil.".

Enjoy!