Quarantine at Home Series: Melinda's Noodle Steak Bowl

      Melinda's series of sauces is relatively new on the market, but they are delicious and available throughout a range of heats for sauce, wing sauce, condiments, green sauce, hot sauce, and a variety of others. http://melindas.com /.  I have used a few of them with my favorites being the Green Sauce and the Creamy Style Wing Sauce.  This recipe is one of theirs with an Asian flavor.  A very good meat and noodle bowl.  You can use either vermicelli or even Ramen. The recipe calls for skirt steak, but again use your imagination.  The dressing is a mixed hybrid of Melinda's hot sauce, but I used Green Sauce with some Soy Sauce, Sugar, Water, Lime Juice, Garlic, and Ginger.

Salad:
2 cups boiled noodles (vermicelli or ramen)
Sesame oil
salt n pepper
1 cups lettuce
1/2 cup sliced cukes
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup cilantro
1/4 cup green onions thinly sliced
1/4 cup jalapenos or hatch chiles
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed

Steak:
1 lb. flank or skirt steak sliced
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. Melinda's Green Sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp water
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Steak strips marinating

      Mix the salad ingredients well and divide between 2 bowls.  In a separate bowl add the brown sugar and hot water and dissolve.  Add the soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper and mix.  Marinade the steak strips for 2 hours.

Sizzlin' beef strips

Salad Makings Prep

      Heat cast iron skillet to med high with 1 Tbsp. olive oil till nearly smoking.  Add steak strips and sear for several minutes only. Be careful not to overcook.  In fact a little pink is better.  Remove and drain for a minute.  Add to top of salad bowls and serve with Melinda's dressing or your choice of other.  This can include Miso, Soy, Sriracha, or any variety of vinaigrettes you may like.

Plated while still warm

      The salad was delicious and the dressing spicy.  I enjoyed the spiciness of the Melinda's dressing while Barb was happier with a Miso dressing.  I would not, however, include the radish or lettuce next time.  We really enjoyed the Ramen with the carrots, cukes, and peanuts.  

"When I would feel down I'd have some noodles my father prepared, and all the worries I had that day...….POOF they would all disappear."

Kim Young-kwang 

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