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–+ servings

Thai Beef Salad(Nam Tok)

Susie Thompson
This is the Thai beef salad my mother made without a recipe or a reason. Just a Tuesday. Grilled over charcoal, sliced thin against the grain, dressed while the beef is still warm. The toasted rice powder is not optional. Neither is the fish sauce, the fresh lime, the herbs that go in last. Every part of this dish is doing something. You will taste it if you skip anything. Eat it the moment it is ready.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Course Appetizer, Family meal, Main Course, Salad, Vegetable
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 servings
Calories 280 kcal

Equipment

  • Large mortar and pestle
  • Dry heavy skillet or wok
  • Spice grinder or small food processor
  • Tongs
  • Sharp knife and cutting board
  • Mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan
  • Meat thermometer optional but helpful
  • Grill or cast iron grill pan
  • Serving plate

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb flank steak, sirloin your choice
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tbsp roasted rice powder
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar
  • 2-3 Thai bird's eye chilies thinly sliced (adjust to taste)
  • Lettuce leaves for serving
  • Vegetable oil for grilling
  • salt, pepper

Instructions
 

  • Marinate the Beef:
    In a bowl, combine steak with salt and pepper and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes.
  • Prepare the Dressing:
    In a separate bowl, whisk together lime juice, palm sugar, roasted rice powder, fish sauce and Thai bird's eye chilies until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Grill the Beef:
    Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Brush the steak with vegetable oil and grill for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked to your desired doneness. Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly.
  • Assemble the Salad:
    In a large mixing bowl, combine the grilled beef, shallots, red onion, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, mint, and basil leaves.
  • Add the dressing:
    Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss gently until it is well combined.
  • Serve:
    Arrange lettuce leaves on a serving platter and top with the Thai Beef Salad. Sprinkle roasted rice powder over the salad for added texture and flavor.

Notes

The cut matters less than the heat. The grill has to be genuinely hot before the meat goes on. You are looking for dark edges, real char. A pale sear is not the same dish.
Khao khua, the toasted rice powder, can be made ahead and kept in a jar for two weeks. It takes four minutes. There is nothing you can substitute for it.
The dressing should taste too sharp before the beef goes in. That is correct. The meat absorbs it. What feels aggressive in the bowl becomes balanced on the plate.
This dish does not wait. Once it is dressed, sit down.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 32gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 690mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g
Keyword Thai Beef Salad
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