Caramelised pork with fresh noodle salad

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Put the sugar, 60ml fish sauce and soy sauce in a small saucepan with 100ml water. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, swirling rather than stirring, until it thickens and turns syrupy (about 5-7 minutes). Set aside.
2. Put the noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water, leave to sit for 3 minutes, then drain and run under a cold tap to cool. To make the peanut pesto, put the peanuts, garlic, chilli, herbs and olive oil in a blender or food processor and whiz into a chunky pesto. Taste and season with the remaining ½ tbsp fish sauce and a squeeze of lime. Set aside.
3. Put a large frying pan over a high heat with a dash of vegetable oil and, once hot, add the pork steaks. Cook for a minute each side to brown, then transfer to a tray and liberally cover both sides with the fish sauce caramel. Put the tray in the oven and cook for 6 minutes, turning the steaks halfway through. Leave to rest while finishing the salad.
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5. Slice the spring onions in half, then into strips lengthways and put in cold water to crisp up. Halve the cucumber lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon, then finely slice into moons. Toss the peanut pesto with the noodles, then add the cucumber and drained spring onions. Divide between bowls, then top with the pork, drizzling over any leftover caramel on the tray. Serve with a wedge of lime.