SPICY THAI GRILLED BEEF SALAD (NAM TOK NUEA)
When you think of a Thai beef salad, you might think of Thai flavors in with your typical lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. However the traditional “nam tok”, is much simpler. It has less ‘salad’ but is packed with delicious flavor, and is easy to make too.
I don’t think I’m alone in being a bit of a fan of Asian salads. So many have such wonderful flavors, balancing sourness, heat and sometimes sweet as in the classic green papaya salad.
Then there are salads that are more meat than ‘salad’ like chicken larp, and this nam tok, ‘waterfall beef’. They might not fit in with what many would typically call a salad since the only greens are herbs, but they really are worth getting to know as the flavors are wonderful.
Just like chicken larp, this Thai beef salad makes a great dinner for example, or have it alongside a few other side dishes to make a fuller meal.
WHAT’S IN A TRADITIONAL THAI BEEF SALAD?
This salad has the classic combination of:
chili,
fish sauce,
lime,
fresh herbs,
grilled beef,
onion.
There’s really not much more to it than that, but there is one more addition that you really can’t miss: ground toasted rice. It might sound a bit strange and hardly worth the effort, since there’s just a little, but it adds such an amazing crunch that really makes the salad.
HOW TO MAKE THAI BEEF SALAD
Since the steak doesn’t take long to cook, it’s best to get everything else ready first. Chop up your herbs and toast and grind your rice. Then once the steak is ready, slice it up, put in with the herbs and add in the dressing ingredients. Toss and serve with the ground rice on top.
This Thai beef salad has lots of punchy flavor as well as a lovely freshness from the lime and herbs. It doesn’t take long with just a short cook and bit of chopping. It might be missing lettuce, but this meaty salad is definitely not missing any deliciousness. And I can definitely see us having it many more times over the summer and beyond.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp raw glutinous rice*
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 x 250g (9 oz) sirloin, striploin, rump or rib-eye steaks
¼ cup finely sliced Asian red shallots
½ cup mint leaves
3 tbsp finely sliced sawtooth coriander (optional)*
¼ cup sliced spring onion (scallions)
Marinade:
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
½ tsp ground black pepper
Dressing:
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
2 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
2 Tbsp lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1
Toast the rice in a dry frying pan over high heat until golden brown. Remove from heat and use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to grind rice to a fine powder. Set aside.
STEP 2
Cover the steaks with baking paper. Use a meat mallet or the bottom of a saucepan to lightly pound the steaks to about 1cm (about ½ inch thick.
STEP 3
Combine marinade ingredients, using the back of a spoon to smoosh the palm sugar to allow it to dissolve. Add the steaks and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
STEP 4
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes each side (for medium rare). Remove from heat and allow to rest before cutting into thin slices. Reserve any resting juices.
STEP 5
While the steaks are resting, make the dressing. Combine the fish sauce and palm sugar in a bowl and use the back of a spoon to smoosh the palm sugar to allow it to dissolve. Add the chilli flakes, lime juice and toasted rice powder.
STEP 6
In a large bowl, combine the warm steak slices with the sliced shallots. Add the dressing and toss until well combined. Then add the mint, saw tooth coriander and spring onion and lightly toss. Transfer to a serving plate with cabbage and snake beans.
*NOTES:
Using glutinous or sticky rice will give you a softer rice powder that creates a thick and soft coating for the finished salad. If glutinous rice is unavailable you can still use regular long grain or jasmine rice to add a similar toasty flavour with a slightly crunchier texture.
Sawtooth coriander is a type of Thai fresh herb. If unavailable, you can use regular coriander or simply leave it out.
Serve with steamed rice or sticky rice.
