Thai Beef Salad

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• juice of 1 lime (2 tbsp)
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 1 finely chopped hot red chilli or chilli flakes, to taste
• 2 tbsp rice, for toasting
• 300-400 gms rump or sirloin steak in one piece
• 1 shallot, finely sliced
• ½ C coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp mint, chopped
• cucumber slices to garnish

Method

To make the dressing, combine the first four ingredients, being sure to dissolve the sugar completely.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan to moderately hot and dry-fry the rice, moving it around constantly until it starts to colour - about five minutes. Remove to cool.

Heat a grill pan to very hot, season the steak with salt, cook to medium rare and set aside.

Place the toasted rice into a mortar and pestle and grind coarsely, not to a powder, but to a degree that will add some crunch to the salad.

Slice the beef into thin strips while it’s still warm and mix in just enough dressing to flavour the meat. Stir in the shallot, herbs and a sprinkle of toasted rice, then spoon on to a serving plate. Add a little more dressing if you like (the mixture should not be wet) and garnish the salad with cucumber.

Serve with steamed rice, green beans and a wedge of lime.