How to make Asian-style warm beef and watercress salad with nuoc cham dressing

This mouthwatering warm salad knocks spots off anything available from the local Chinese and is much healthier.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

85g watercress
½ a small red onion, thinly sliced
1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
​300g sirloin steak, cut into strips
Salt and pepper

For the nuoc cham dressing (makes about 250ml)

Juice of 2 limes
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed and very finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
​2 tbsp palm sugar or dark brown soft sugar
​100ml warm water
1 tbsp chopped coriander

First make the dressing: stir together warm water and sugar until completely dissolved. Combine with all other dressing ingredients in a bowl, season to taste and set aside.

Add oil to a frying pan and heat on high until oil is smoking. Add the beef and stir-fry for one minute, adding salt and pepper to taste. Beef should be browned on the outside but remain pink in the centre.

Remove beef and allow pan to cool slightly, then add chopped garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant. In a bowl, combine watercress, red onion, tomato, beef and garlic. Toss with the dressing and mix well, saving the rest of the dressing for later. Serve immediately.

For more recipes, visit watercress.co.uk/recipes