Rice noodles, drizzled with a miso ginger dressing, are chewy and satisfying. You’ll want to eat this on the porch all summer long or make the noodle bowl for lunches any time of year.
What Steak to Buy
I chose lean flank steak for this recipe. Normally, flank needs a marinade to make it flavorful, but I skipped it with this recipe to save a little time. There is plenty of flavor in the dressing added after the steak is cooked to justify skipping this step. This means that a quick sear on top of the stove is all it takes to get supper going. Because it is lean, flank steak is not as tender as some other cuts of beef, but when seared quickly and thinly sliced across the grain, it won’t be tough. Its speedy preparation should make the weeknight cook happy. The truth is, any slices of leftover steak, grilled or pan-seared, would work well in this recipe, so if you are grilling on the weekend, you could throw a steak on the barbie to slice later in the week.
Look for Wide Rice Noodles
Rice noodles are gluten-free, made with only rice flour and water. I like the flavor and texture of wide noodles. I happened to have these stir fry noodles on hand but you could use any wide noodles you like. Most supermarkets stock rice noodles, but if you have an Asian food market near you, you will find lots of choices. Rice noodles are sticky. If they clump together once you’ve strained them and they’ve cooled, simply separate them with your hands by tossing them gently under cold running water.
The Ingredients for the Dressing
The lime-miso dressing for this noodle bowl is salty (miso), a little sweet (brown sugar), spicy (ginger), and tangy (lime), making for a piquant accompaniment to the steak and noodles. I prefer to serve it separately so that each person can add as much or as little as they like.
Make-Ahead Instructions
You can cook the steak, noodles, and vegetables, and make the dressing up to four days ahead. Store them separately in the refrigerator to assemble when you want. The noodles can stick together. If they do, just rinse them under cold water while separating them with your fingers.
How to Assemble and Serve
Toss the steak with the noodles and vegetables in a large bowl, add the herbs, and toss again. Serve in bowls with the dressing on the side and sprinkle each bowl with sesame seeds.
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Set aside and let rest for at least 5 minutes while you prepare the noodles. (The temperature will rise a few degrees as the steak rests.) Cut across the grain into thin slices. Cover the pot again and let the noodles soak for another 4 to 5 minutes. (See package directions for precise amount of total time for the noodle brand you are using.) Stir in the spinach leaves, which will immediately wilt a little. Drain the noodles and spinach in a colander, rinse under cold water and drain again. Transfer to the bowl with the snap peas.
