My inspiration for this salad came from an Asian noodle bowl recipe – and with my spiralizer (a vegetable slicer that creates mounds of gorgeous, sliced – or spiralized (spaghetti-like) vegetables) – I’m always looking for recipes that allow me to substitute vegetables for pasta or noodle dishes. The best thing about this salad is that all of the vegetables are raw (a nutrient packed dish bulldozed by a creamy peanut sauce, of course). Now, if you’re not into the veggies-in-lieu-of-pasta craze, feel free to use noodles in place of the zucchini. Alternatively, I always like to suggest a vegetable peeler to create zucchini ribbons if you don’t have a spiralizer. Crunchy, spicy and oh so yummy. This salad is b-e-a-utiful. Let’s dig in!
Raw Asian Vegetable Salad with Grilled Marinated Steak (Servings: 3):
- 12 ounces of sirloin steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- 1/2 cup carrot matchsticks
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 3 zucchini, spiralized
- 1 english cucumber, spiralized
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- Your favorite peanut sauce (I attempted to make my own and didn’t care for the recipe… but hopefully a homemade one will be coming your way soon!)
Alright – first, we are going to marinate the steak. So, in a large ziploc bag combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, dijon mustard and fresh cracked pepper. Add the steak and make sure it’s nice and coated in the marinade (trim any fatty parts off beforehand, if necessary). Marinate for at least an hour and up to one day.
Day of: Start by preheating your grill to about 375 degrees. Next we are going to slice and dice our vegetables. Spiralize the cucumber and zucchini.
It’s pretty cool because it essentially cores the cucumber for you, too. And, well, it looks gorgeous!
Then, thinly slice the red pepper.
Alright, almost there. Be patient and reward your hard work with a very large glass of wine!
Next, chop the cilantro.
Okay, by now the grill should be preheated. Place your marinated steak on the grill for about 5 minutes on each side for medium rare (or longer if you’d like it cooked to a higher temperature).
Then, thinly slice the steak.
Ah yes, take a moment to revel in the gorgeous medium rare!
Okay, moving on: let cool and in the meantime, let’s start constructing this beauty.
Place your zucchini noodles on a plate, followed by the cucumber, carrots and red pepper.
Next, squeeze your lime juice over top of the vegetables. Add your steak and peanut sauce. Garnish with cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
You’ve worked this hard. You deserve some relaxation in a bottle. Yep, you know what I’m talking about. That delicious drink that keeps me eager for 5 pm: ah, right. Wine. We picked a petit sirah out of California that feuatures black fruits and pepper – a perfect companion for this spicy asian salad. With that, happy eating!
Cheers!
