Originally published on Friday, 18th July 2008

 

Thai Beef Salad with Coriander, Mint and Peanuts

 

Serves 6

This salad is best made with fillet steak that is briefly seared in a hot pan but left completely raw inside. If the idea of this makes you nervous than you can cook it a bit longer but try and keep the inside reasonably pink so that the meat stays soft and will soak up the dressing.

This salad is very quick to make and absolutely more-ish. If you like Thai flavours but don’t fancy a heavy curry on a hot day this salad makes the perfect alfresco lunch or picnic food.

Ingredients

a 400 gram piece of  beef fillet
Sea salt
Freshly grated black pepper
1 tsp neutral vegetable oil like sunflower for frying
4 small Asian shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 handful coriander, coarsely chopped
1 small handful mint leaves, coarsely chopped
3 Kaffir lime leaves, central stems removed and sliced into thin slivers
50 grams raw peanuts

Dressing

1 red chili, halved and seeded
3 tablespoons palm sugar, grated
Juice of 3-4 limes
Zest of 2 limes
3 teaspoons fish sauce

Instructions

Toast the peanuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat until golden and toasted smelling. Grind coarsely in a mortal and pestle.

Season the beef fillet on both sides with the salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a frying pan on high heat, and sear for 4 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

To make the dressing, place the chili and palm sugar in a mortar and pestle and pound until the chili is thoroughly mashed and the palm sugar has dissolved. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in  the lime juice, zest and fish sauce. Taste and add more lime, fish sauce or palm sugar to taste until the balance of salty, sweet, sour and hot flavours is to your liking.

Slice the beef thinly and place in a bowl with the shallots, herbs and dressing. Toss well to mix and divide evenly among 4 plates. Scatter with the ground, toasted peanuts and serve.

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Jennifer Klinec from Eat Drink Talk has kindly agreed to provide Urban Junkies readers with mouthwatering recipes and foodtips.

To learn more, classes at Eat Drink Talk are held in Jennifer's beautiful loft in Clerkenwell, packed with information and useful tips, and you'll get to sample all of the delicious dishes prepared during class.

 

by JK

In collaboration with Eat Drink Talk