Ingredients

• 400g/14oz piece fresh tuna
• sliced into 4 steaks
• 2 lemongrass stems
• split lengthways
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 250g/9oz fine rice noodles
• 1½ limes
• juice only
• 2 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 3 tbsp Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (nÆ°á»›c chấm or nam pla)
• 2 red chillies
• finely chopped
• 4 tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts
• 4 spring onions
• finely sliced
• large bunch Thai basil
• leaves picked
• 3 tbsp shredded mint leaves

Directions

• For the tuna
• mix the lemongrass
• soy sauce
• lime juice and vegetable oil in a bowl until well combined. Add the tuna steaks and marinate in the fridge for one hour.
• Heat a griddle pan until very hot.
• Sear each piece of tuna for 30 seconds on each side
• then remove from the pan.
• Meanwhile
• for noodle salad
• pour boiling water over the noodles and leave to soak for five minutes.
• Place the lime juice
• garlic
• ginger
• fish sauce
• chillies and peanuts into a pestle and mortar and crush to a fine paste.
• Drain the noodles and toss with two-thirds of the dressing. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse. Add the spring onions
• holy basil and mint and mix until well combined.
• To serve
• carve the tuna into thick slices. Pile the noodle salad onto serving plates and top with the tuna slices.