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Laab (Northern Thai Spicy Beef Salad)

Source of Recipe


Cooking Light-6/01






List of Ingredients



• Rice powder:
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 2 tablespoons uncooked long-grain Thai sticky rice
  
• Marinade:
  
• 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 can (6-ounce) pineapple juice
  
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
  
• Cooking spray
  
• Remaining ingredients:
  
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  
• 1 cup torn fresh mint
  
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
  
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves (about 8 leaves) or 1 tablespoon grated lime rind
  
• 1 teaspoon minced bird chile or 2 teaspoons minced serrano chile
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  
• 12 tender napa (Chinese) cabbage leaves or any sturdy lettuce leaves
  






Instructions



1. To prepare rice powder, combine water and rice in a bowl. Let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse rice with cold water; pat dry. Cook rice in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes, stirring constantly until lightly browned. Cool completely. Place rice in a spice or coffee grinder; process until rice resembles cornmeal. Set aside.
   
   
2. To prepare marinade, place peppercorns in pan over medium-high heat, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly or until toasted. Place peppercorns in spice or coffee grinder; process until ground. Combine ground pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, pineapple juice, and the steak in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.
   
   
3. Preheat broiler.
   
   
4. Remove steak from bag, reserving the marinade. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 16 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning and basting with reserved marinade after 8 minutes. Cut the steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Cut slices crosswise into thin slivers. Combine steak and lime juice in a large bowl. Add rice powder, mint, and next 8 ingredients (mint through 1/2 teaspoon salt), and toss well. Spoon 1/3 cup steak mixture into each cabbage leaf.
   
   
5. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 filled leaves).
   
   






Final Comments


The rice powder is a traditional component of this dish, but you can omit it, if you prefer.