Vietnamese-Style Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl

Boil a full kettle

Add the beef strips to a bowl with half the soy sauce (you'll use the rest later!) and a generous grind of black pepper

Set aside to marinate

Add the rice noodles to a bowl and cover with boiled water

Set aside for 12-15 min or until softened

Once softened, drain the noodles and set aside

Chop the cucumber into thin batons

Add the cucumber batons to a small bowl with the rice vinegar, 1 tsp [2 tsp] sugar and a generous pinch of salt and set aside – this is your pickled cucumber

Peel and grate the garlic

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and grate the ginger

Roll the lime[s] with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut in half

Combine the remaining soy sauce, juice from the lime[s], grated ginger, half the grated garlic (not a big garlic fan? Try using less!), 1 tbsp [2 tbsp] sugar and 3 tbsp [6 tbsp] olive oil – this is your fresh ginger & lime dressing

Top, tail, peel and grate the carrot[s]

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-heat

Once hot, add the remaining garlic and half the chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and cook for 1 min or until softened

Once softened, increase to the highest heat and add the marinated beef strips

Cook for 1-2 min until just seared

Once seared, transfer the chilli beef strips to a plate to rest

Meanwhile, strip the mint leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems

Chop the coriander finely, including the stalks