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Naam Tok (Spicy Thai Beef Salad) Recipe

Mar 10, 2011 | 12:17 pm
By
Staff Writer
Naam Tok (Spicy Thai Beef Salad) Recipe
Spicy Thai Beef Salad
Jess Kapadia

Spicy Thai Beef Salad

It's uncommon to see a spicy salad on a menu; they're usually thought of as light, refreshing first courses rather than steak-laden chile fests. This Thai salad is just that: firey hot, tart, and savory with a punch of umami that will satisfy your appetite as well as any entrée.  

Click here to see Recipe SWAT Team: Thai Dishes.

4
Servings
Deliver Ingredients

Ingredients

For the steak:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (I use gluten-free tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons chile-sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 cloves of garlic, smashed
  • One 2-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and cut into small chunks
  • 1 pound flank steak

For the dressing:

  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons chile-sesame oil
  • ½ cup fresh mint, chiffonade
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
  • Juice of 2 limes

For the salad:

  • ½ cup peanuts
  • 4 cups mixed salad greens
  • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

Directions

For the steak:

Combine all ingredients except for the steak in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over flank steak and marinate in a covered container or freezer bag overnight in the refrigerator. 

Preheat broiler on high. Broil steak for 3 minutes on each side for rare (5 on each side for medium), then remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

For the dressing:

Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients and set aside. 

For the salad:

Heat a large, dry sauté pan on medium heat, then toast the peanuts for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until golden brown. Allow to cool, then place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or wine bottle and set aside.

To serve, plate the salad in this order: greens, cucumber, onion, tomato, peanuts. Slice the steak very thinly and arrange over the salad and then drizzle with 3-4 spoonfuls of dressing and serve.

Thai Shopping Tip

To find the ingredients you need to cook Southeast Asian cuisine, try to find specialty grocery stores in the Asian neighborhoods in your town.

Thai Cooking Tip

Southeast Asian Cuisine is about the balance of flavors between sweet and sour; hot and mild. When working with Asian chiles, the smaller ones are usually spicier. Handle with caution and care.

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