Crunchy Beef & Peanut Salad by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup rice wine vinegar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
• Optional: 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• ½ cup water, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1 ½-inch piece fresh gingerroot, peeled, sliced and chopped or grated
• 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and mashed to a paste
• ½ jalapeno pepper, stemmed & seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
• Juice of 1-2 limes (depends on size of limes)
• Soy sauce or kosher salt to taste
• one 8/9-ounce package Japanese-style Udon noodles
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 ½ pounds thinly sliced bottom round beef/sandwich steaks (about 1/8-inch thick)
• Kosher salt to season
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons (plus more as needed), canola oil
• 1 head romaine lettuce, leaves washed & dried
• ½ cup dry-roasted & salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• ½ bunch scallions, washed & dried, green and white parts chopped separately
• optional: a few sprigs cilantro