Step 1

1 For the salad: Lay a clean dish towel on the counter

Step 2

2 Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat

Step 3

3 Add the noodles and wait for 1 minute before stirring to separate them

Step 4

4 Cook for about 3 minutes; the noodles need to be just tender but not mushy

Step 5

5 Drain in a colander, then immediately dump the noodles onto the dish towel, separating them from each other as much as possible

Step 6

6 Meanwhile, make the dressing: Squeeze the juice of the lime(s) -- enough to yield 3 tablespoons -- into a small bowl

Step 7

7 Mince the garlic and add it to the bowl, along with the fish sauce, brown sugar (to taste), water (as needed) and crushed red pepper flakes

Step 8

8 Coarsely chop or tear the herb leaves

Step 9

9 Tear the cooked meat into bite-size pieces and arrange on a platter, along with the herbs, carrot, cabbage and cucumber

Step 10

10 Arrange the noodles on the platter; drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the dressing

Step 11

11 Coarsely chop the peanuts, then scatter them over the salad components

Step 12

12 Seat the bowl of dressing in or alongside the platter

Step 13

13 Let everyone at the table help themselves