• Marinate the beef with half the fish sauce and lemongrass while you get everything else ready. You can even do this hours ahead or the night before.
  500 g beef, 2 Tbsp fish sauce, 3 lemongrass

Dipping sauce

• Mix everything together and keep aside. Can be made a day earlier and kept, covered, in the fridge. Will last 2 days in the fridge.
  2 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, juice of 1 lime, 1 tsp palm sugar, 1 small clove garlic, 1 red Thai chilli, 1 spring onion

Cook the beef

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat and sauté the onions for a minute.
  2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 large onion
• Add the garlic and lemongrass and continue for 30 seconds.
  2 cloves garlic
• Add the beef strips, turn the heat up and mix thoroughly, stirring vigorously, for 30 seconds.
• Add the rest of the fish sauce and continue cooking on high heat for 1 minute for pink in the middle or as done as you prefer.
• Add the pepper and water if using, stir, turn heat off.
  1 dash white pepper, 2 Tbsp water
• Check for seasoning, add salt if necessary. Leave aside while you assemble the salad in individual portions or take it all to the table for diners to help themselves to.
  1 pinch salt

Assembly in order

• Rice noodle bed
  400 g fresh rice noodles or dry equivalent (see above)
• Bean sprouts and rest of the fresh stuff on and all around, see picture.
  2 handfuls bean sprouts, small handful coriander leaves, shiso leaves, mint leaves, vietnamese coriander, ½ cucumber, 1 carrot, lettuce
• Beef
• Spring onions
  2 spring onions
• Peanuts
  handful unsalted roasted peanuts
• Drizzle some dipping sauce all over
• Leave the sauce on the side for actual dipping too.