Description
This Thai Beef Salad is a vibrant, refreshing dish combining tender seared sirloin steak with a zesty, flavorful dressing made from lime juice, fish sauce, chili, garlic, and fresh herbs. Tossed with crisp mixed lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and topped with roasted peanuts, this salad offers a perfect balance of savory, spicy, sour, and sweet flavors, ideal for a quick and healthy lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/2 tsp birds eye or Thai chili, deseeded and finely minced
- 1/4 tsp finely minced garlic (1/2 small clove)
- 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander stems
- 2 1/4 tsp white sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
- 1 small pinch cooking/kosher salt
Beef
- 7 – 8 oz / 200 – 250 g good quality beef steak – sirloin, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp oil (vegetable, peanut or canola oil)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Salad
- 2 heaped cups mixed lettuce leaves
- 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 small red onion, very finely sliced
- 1/2 cucumber (optional, deseeded), cut horizontally then sliced (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leaves, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts, roasted and unsalted
- Extra cilantro/coriander and mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Place the birds eye chili, garlic, cilantro stems, and a small pinch of salt into a mortar and pestle and grind until a smooth paste forms. Add the white sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and grapeseed oil. Adjust sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce to taste. Set aside. Alternatively, finely mince the garlic, coriander, and chili, then using the side of a knife, smear into a paste on a cutting board before shaking in a jar with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook the Beef: Preheat a skillet over high heat until very hot and smoking. Drizzle the beef on both sides with 1/2 tbsp of oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the beef according to your preference: for a 2 cm thick steak, cook for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare (internal temperature 52°C/125°F) or 2 1/2 minutes on each side for medium (internal temperature 57°C/135°F).
- Rest the Beef: Remove the steak from the skillet onto a plate and loosely tent with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes to retain juices.
- Prepare the Salad Base: Place the mixed lettuce leaves in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the dressing, and toss to coat evenly.
- Slice the Beef and Combine Salad Ingredients: Slice the rested beef thinly against the grain. Place in a bowl with cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber slices, cilantro leaves, and mint leaves. Add most of the remaining dressing and gently toss all ingredients together.
- Assemble and Serve: Pile the dressed lettuce leaves onto plates, top with the dressed beef mixture. Sprinkle with roasted chopped peanuts and garnish with extra cilantro and mint leaves if desired. Drizzle with any remaining dressing and serve immediately for the freshest flavors.
Notes
- Deseeding the chili reduces the heat; adjust according to your spice tolerance.
- Allowing the beef to rest after cooking is essential to keep it juicy and tender.
- Slicing the beef thinly against the grain ensures maximum tenderness.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with grilled tofu or mushrooms and use a vegetarian fish sauce alternative.
