Yunnan rice noodle dip with lime, herbs and chili

Boil the dried rice noodles, tasting from about the five minute mark, then rinse under the tap to stop the cooking and set aside.

Chop off the tough pale end of the jiucai and mince it very fine with a sharp knife.

Toss the minced jiucai with a teaspoon of salt, mix well and leave at least 20 minutes.

Wrap the salted jiucai in a tofu or cheese cloth and squeeze for about a minute; this mellows its pungency and the result is called jiucaisheng.

Finely mince the salt-toothed coriander, pick and mince the laksa leaves, slice the chilies into about two millimeter pieces and toss them together.

Sear the outside of the beef tenderloin in a dry wok over high heat, let it rest, then cut the cooked portion away, leaving about 50 to 75 grams of raw beef.

Fry the trimmed seared pieces seared side up in a lightly oiled hot wok over medium heat for one to two minutes until cooked through, as a stand-in for smoked nyugamba beef jerky.

Pound the raw beef with the back of a knife for about ten minutes, picking out the white stringy membranes as they appear.

Add the herbs and chilies to the beef with salt, sugar, MSG, chili powder and toasted sesame seeds.

Add the lime juice and water, mix well and serve; the lime juice starts to cook the beef as it sits, so do not wait long.

Top the cooked rice noodles with shredded cabbage, the seared beef, and optionally mint, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

To eat, dip a whole hot chili in the sauce, then dip the noodles and toppings.