Ingredients

• 200g/7oz beef fillet
• sliced thinly
• sal and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 75ml/3fl oz coconut milk
• 2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger
• 110ml/4fl oz rice wine vinegar
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 50ml/2fl oz Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 50g/2oz cashew nuts
• finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander
• roughly chopped
• vegetable oil for deep frying
• 40g/1½oz ready-made rice noodles
• 2 Little Gem lettuces

Directions

• Place the beef slices
• salt and freshly ground black pepper and olive oil into a bowl and mix well.
• Heat a frying pan and add the beef. Avoid turning the meat too much - you want it to develop a nice crust.
• Once the beef is golden-brown all over
• add the coconut milk. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes
• stirring occasionally. The coconut milk will reduce down to give a sticky consistency
• coating the beef. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Grate the ginger onto the middle of a sheet of muslin. Fold over the muslin to seal around the ginger
• then squeeze out the juice over a clean bowl by slowly twisting the muslin with the ginger inside.
• Place the rice wine vinegar and caster sugar into a pan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
• Add the Thai fish sauce
• chilli flakes
• and the squeezed ginger juice and cook over a low heat for five minutes.
• Add the chopped nuts and heat for one minute.
• Add the chopped coriander and heat for one minute.
• Heat a deep fat fryer to 180C/350F (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Add the noodles to the oil - they will expand quickly and dramatically. Once the noodles are all crisp and golden-brown remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet lined with a paper towels to drain.
• Divide up the leaves from the Little Gem lettuces and arrange on serving plates.
• To serve
• spoon the beef into the 'cups' of the Baby Gem leaves
• and then drizzle the dipping sauce over. Gently crumble a handful of the crispy noodles over each dish and serve.