(Grilled Beef Salad)
The following grilled beef salad has as many versions as there are cooks in Thailand. The success of the dish depends upon starting with good-quality tenderloin and achieving a balance of hot, sour, and salty. Before serving, be sure to sample the salad and adjust the amount of chili, lime, fish sauce — and, if desired, sugar — to your taste.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6 as part of a rice based meal
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare grill (or preheat broiler).
Step 2
Halve tenderloin horizontally to form 2 approximately 1-inch-thick pieces. Rub both sides of each piece with black pepper, pressing it into meat.
Step 3
Grill beef on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 to 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (Alternatively, broil beef on oiled rack of a broiler pan about 3 to 5 inches from heat 6 to 7 minutes on each side for medium-rare.) Transfer beef to a cutting board and cool 30 minutes. If desired, chill beef, loosely wrapped, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day to facilitate thin slicing. But beef across grain into very thin slices.
Step 4
In a large bowl stir together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chilies until combined will (sugar should be dissolved if using).
Step 5
Add beef, shallots, scallions, coriander, and mint and toss will. Score cucumber lengthwise with tines of a fork and cut crosswise into thin slices.
Step 6
Arrange cucumber around edge of a platter and mound beef salad in center. Garnish beef with coriander sprig and serve with rice.
