Thai Beef Salad with Mint
When your garden is overflowing with mint, it’s time to make Thai Beef Salad with Mint. There are many variations of this recipe; we were mostly inspired by this from Andy Ricker, of the pan-South Asian Pok Pok in Portland. Serves 4-6 appetizer portions.
Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak, New York strip or other steak with a grain (we used flap meat)
¼ c cilantro root (use cilantro stems as a substitute if necessary)
3 large garlic cloves, about 1 ½ T
½ t ground white pepper
1 T soy sauce
1 T vegetable oil
½ c mint leaves, removed from stems and coarsely chopped*
¼ c cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped*
¼ c shallot or red onion, sliced thin
Half a serrano chile or one small birds eye chile, finely chopped, or 1 t crushed red pepper (you want to give it just a little kick vs spicy-hot)
3 t lime juice
2 t fish sauce
½ t sugar
¾ t Kosher salt
1 t rice powder (optional)**
Method: pulverize cilantro root and garlic in a food mill; mix in pepper, oil and soy sauce. Rub this marinade all over the steak; poke some holes so it will really penetrate if you like. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, then grill over high heat till the steak is well browned on the outside but still rare to medium rare on the inside, about 3-4 minutes per side. Cool the steak in a bowl that will collect its juices then slice thin across the grain into 3-inch strips.
Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, salt and reserved meat juices in a skillet and heat slightly; add shallot and chilis and heat until aromatic. Add remaining ingredients and toss lightly till the mint is wilted and the meat is heated through. Serve warm, over rice or shredded cabbage.
*Or use ¾ c of all mint leaves or all cilantro.
Rice Powder
**Folks who have tasted this dish in Thailand insist that rice powder is essential to complete the flavor. It adds a crunch and nuttiness and the smaller bits will thicken the sauce slightly. To make rice powder, heat 2 T raw glutinous rice (“sticky rice”) in a wok at low temperature, stirring frequently, till the grains are uniformly golden brown (about 10 minutes). Cool in wok off the heat then grind in a spice mill or with mortar and pestle to a coarse powder.
