Crying Tiger Beef Salad

Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: 30 mins Easy - for beginners Serves: 6

Description

More of a salad version of the Thai classic, Crying Tiger. A refreshing combination of spicy, sweet, sour, and savory.

Ingredients

Beef Marinade:
1 lb. Flank or Sirloin Steak
1/2 lime, juiced
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp. seasoning sauce
2 tbsp. chili oil
1 tsp. sichuan pepper
Salad:
1 pint Tomatoes, cherry or grape, halved
1 pint Cabbage, thin sliced
1 cucumber, halved lengthways and diagonally sliced thin
1 carrot, julienned
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups fresh Thai basil
2 big shallots, sliced thin
1/4 cup white rice, roasted and ground
Dressing:
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. tamarind puree/paste
1 lime, juiced
2 Red chilies, minced
1 tsp. sichuan pepper
1 tbsp. roasted sesame oil
4 tbsp. vegetable oil
Nuoc Cham, serve on side with a little spoon
1 clove garlic, crushed into a paste
4 Thai chilies, sliced
2 red chilies, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
4 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. seasoning sauce

Method

Marinate the steak in lime juice, seasoning sauce, and chili oil.
Combine the dressing together, add the oil very slowly and whisk fervently to create an emulsification, and let rest, or put in a shaker and vigorously shake.
To make the Nuoc Cham, grind together the garlic, chilies, and sugar until aromatic, add lime juice, vinegar, and fish sauce.
Toast the white rice on medium-high heat stirring occasionally until puffy and slightly brown. Grind in a mortar (or coffee grinder) until powdery.
Grill the steak on high heat until desired doneness is reached, I prefer mine crispy on the outside, medium rare on the inside. Let rest. Then thinly slice.
Prepare and toss together the salad and dressing. Dust the steak with the rice powder, place atop the salad.
Serve salad in a bowl. Keep the Nuoc Cham on the side, to adjust spiciness.

Notes: I use Golden Mountain seasoning sauce and Tiparos Thai fish sauce. For best flavor, make the Nuoc Cham the night before and store it in a well-sealed container because it has a habbit of making dairy taste like it.

The measurements for the salad are just general ratios I use, I typically prefer to use as much Thai basil as I can find (normally a 6 oz container of it.)