Thai Beef Salad (Yum Nua)
This Thai Steak Salad is tangy, spicy, amazingly delicious yet deceptively easy to make. Topped with toasted rice powder for a bit of crunch. It's a healthy salad that tastes so decadent!
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 jalapeno (halved)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons minced lemongrass (remove the tough outer leaves and slice the tender white core)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
- 1/2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1-inch thick New York strip steak (9 to 10 oz.)
- 2 Tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice (or long or short grain white rice)
- 2 medium shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (loosely packed, roughly chopped)
- 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems
- Lettuce of your choosing
- Cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Cucumbers (sliced)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and one of the jalapeno halves and place in a small bowl. Slice the remaining jalapeno half into thin rings and add it to the bowl, along with the lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, brown sugar, and red chile flakes. Taste and adjust seasonings with additional lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, if needed. Stir well and set aside.
- Put rice in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grains are toasted and golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and then grind into a coarse powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the steak until it is well browned on one side, 5 to 6 min. Flip and cook until the second side is dark brown and the meat is medium rare, another 5 to 6 min. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 min. Slice the steak thinly and then cut into bite-size pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine the beef (and any accumulated juices), shallots, mint, and cilantro. Stir the dressing and pour it on top. Toss gently. Add the ground toasted rice, and toss. Serve over lettuce with cherry tomatoes.
Notes
Make sure to taste and adjust the dressing to suit your preferences. Let the steak rest before slicing to retain juices. Cut the steak against the grain for more tender bites. Fresh herbs elevate the flavor profile significantly.