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Thai: Thai Steak Salad

Source of Recipe

From "The Pepper Thai Cookbook" by Pepper Teigen


Recipe Introduction

"Whenever they have a date night at home, John and Chrissy love to order delivery from their favorite steakhouse. Have you ever seen a 2-pound dry-aged wagyu rib eye delivered by Postmates? I have. I use leftovers to make my famous beef salad, called yum nuea in Thai. I've been making this recipe since Chrissy was in diapers, though back then I used cheaper cuts like flank steak or chuck roast, which can be just as tasty. I even used to send it with her and Tina for their school potlucks. The beef should be well marbled and on the rare side, since the lime juice in the dressing will 'cook' the steak a little more. Usually I just cut up steak straight from the fridge to make salad�dinner in ten minutes or less. I tossed together a giant platter of this yum nuea when Chrissy was a guest on Ellen's show, as a snack for all the people working backstage. They loved it so much, they sent me a beautiful thank-you note, which is more than I can say for Chrissy's elementary school class!"

List of Ingredients

◦ 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
◦ 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
◦ 2 tablespoons toasted rice powder, store-bought or homemade
◦ � teaspoon Roasted Chile Powder (recipe follows), plus more for garnish
◦ 1 pound leftover steak, cold is fine, sliced against the grain into bite-size pieces
◦ 2 plum tomatoes, cut into wedges
◦ 2 Persian (mini) cucumbers or � hothouse cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
◦ � medium red onion, halved and sliced
◦ 4 scallions, thinly sliced
◦ � cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
◦ Handful of fresh mint leaves

For serving:
◦ Cooked sticky rice or jasmine rice
◦ Romaine lettuce leaves
◦ Cucumber slices
◦ Basil, cilantro, and/or mint leaves



Recipe

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, rice powder, and chile powder until combined. Add the steak, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion and gently toss.

When ready to serve, fold in scallions, cilantro, and mint leaves (don't do this ahead, because you want the leaves to stay fresh and crisp). Transfer the steak salad to a plate and sprinkle with a pinch of chile powder. Serve with rice, lettuce, cucumber, and herbs.

Serves 2 to 4







❧ Roasted Chile Powder:

"Roasted chile powder is one of my most essential ingredients because it adds both earthiness and heat. If you can't find dried Thai chiles at the market, any small dried red chile will work."

◦ 2 cups dried red chiles, such as Thai, de �rbol, or japones

Preheat the oven to 350� F. If you have an oven hood fan, turn it on. Spread the chiles evenly across a sheet pan and roast for about 6 minutes, checking them halfway through. The chiles are done when they change color from red to a very dark reddish brown. Watch closely near the end to make sure they don't burn.

Transfer the chiles to a plate and let cool completely. Place them in a mortar and grind with the pestle until they're the size of red pepper flakes (or use a spice grinder or small blender on high speed for 10 to 15 seconds; make sure the blender is totally dry). Store the chile powder in an airtight container; it keeps for about 3 months or longer if kept in the freezer.

Makes about 1 cup