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Thai Beef Salad (Yum Nua)

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This Thai Beef Salad (Yum Nua) combines tender steak, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, spicy dressing made with fish sauce, lime, and lemongrass. It’s a refreshing, flavorful dish that’s easy to make, perfect for a light meal or a vibrant addition to your next gathering.

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

1 clove garlic

1 jalapeno (halved)

1 lime (juiced)

1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass (remove the tough outer leaves and slice the tender white core)

1 ¼ teaspoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon red chile flakes

For the Steak:

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

1 1-inch thick New York strip steak (9 to 10 oz.)

For the Rice Powder:

2 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice (or long or short grain white rice)

For the Salad:

2 medium shallots (thinly sliced)

¼ 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

  1. Make the Rice Powder:

    • In a dry skillet, toast the uncooked jasmine rice over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is golden brown and fragrant. Let it cool, then grind it into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.

  2. Prepare the Dressing:

    • In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, fish sauce, lemongrass, brown sugar, and red chile flakes. Blend until smooth and well-combined. Set the dressing aside.

  3. Cook the Steak:

    • Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the New York strip steak with salt and pepper, then sear the steak for 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare (or cook to your preferred doneness). Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.

  4. Assemble the Salad:

    • In a large bowl, combine the shallots, mint leaves, cilantro, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat.

  5. Serve:

    • Arrange the sliced steak on top of the salad and sprinkle with the toasted rice powder. Serve immediately.

Notes

Storage: While this salad is best enjoyed fresh, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. The steak may lose some of its tenderness upon storage, but the flavors will still be delicious.

Reheating: If you have leftover steak, reheat it gently in a skillet or microwave. Keep the salad and dressing separate until you’re ready to eat to avoid wilting the vegetables.

Vegetarian Version: For a plant-based twist, replace the steak with tofu or tempeh.