@alarash and @linguafood mentioned it on the plating thread and I’m obsessed.
Spicy Thai beef salad/yum nuah, maybe others. One source likened it to Nigerian Suya, and I saw a Cambodian version, gnoam sach ko, as well.
Not quite the season perhaps, and I haven’t even made it yet but I’m excited.
Husband usually buys two strip steaks and 1 is too much and 1/2 is too little so I have some pieces. And it’s low carb too, so win-win!
I see lots of posts about the Thai version and would love input, particularly how I might use left over, or small pieces of New York Strip.
I’ve found several recipes online that I’m sure I’m going to add. Some, but not all have the toasted rice, and those that do find it essential! Fortunately I have made the toasted rice powder before, so I’ll try it here.
All seem to have mint and cilantro, which is easy, some have Thai basil which is not right now. Is subbing regular basil any good?
Also some use red onion and green onion and maybe shallots. Any opinions about that?
NY strip may just be my least favorite cut. I use sirloin / London broil, usually. Flank steak or hanger steak would work just as well. I sear or grill the meat, usually just seasoned with s&p.
My Thai beef salad includes: iceberg, cherry or grape tomatoes, mint, scallions, cilantro (and Thai basil if I can find it), lime juice, fish sauce, and chopped Thai bird chilies. Pretty simple. I’ve only added toasted rice powder to laab, never to yum nuah, and can’t say that I’ve missed it.
Here’s our favorite version of the salad. I never add the mint or cilantro, as we just don’t care much for mint, and DH is one of those who can’t eat cilantro (knowingly). No toasted rice required (although I do use it in other Thai dishes).
If you’re making Thai Beef Salad with cooked beef, I would suggest rubbing the cooked beef with fresh galangal. It adds a touch of complexity and really brings out the natural beefiness of the meat, esp. beef that is cold and brought to room temp (as opposed to cooked and then rested to room temp).
If you don’t have galangal handy, then fresh ginger would do, but perhaps up the sweetness content a bit in your dressing to account for the more pungent and spicy profile of ginger.
The Thai salad I’m familiar with is served at a comfort food restaurant in Sacramento called Cafeteria 15L. It’s delicious. I don’t know how similar it is to what might be found in Thailand but they use high quality beef, usually skirt or hanger or flap or the like seared medium rare and cut against the grain served over a salad similar to what you have described, but I think they also add some ripe mango.
One difference is that under the greens they have a bit of cold noodles.
Was hesitant to post as I have never done a Thai beef salad, but when I think of re-heated steak and salad the first thing that comes to mind is salsa verde. A good roasted tomatilla salsa verde with diced white onions, avocado, cilantro, and crumbled queso fresco with the greens of your choice is wonderful on a plate, or even better on warm corn tortillas or in a flour tortilla bowl.
Mexican marinades for steak are pretty minimal (lime juice, garlic, salt & pepper, oregano, cumin, Worcestershire or soy, and EVOO), and usually for just 30-60 minutes. Grill them whole.
If you didn’t marinate your steak prior to cooking it, consider slicing and reheating it in a low oven in a bowl or casserole dish with a small amount of those ingredients in a puddle of chicken or beef stock. If it was marinated before cooking, just use the stock. I do this all the time with all kinds of cooked meats and it keeps them juicy and flavorful.
Thank you! It was dry brined, primarily salt and pepper 48 hours. I’m wondering if it would benefit from being in the dressing, and if would be better before or after slicing.
Now that I think about it, letting it sit in flavoring after slicing was the whole point being made in the “plating” thread!
It’s sitting a bit now, sliced, in the dressing, with the other ingredients.
Thanks all! Done
@ipsedixit “fresh ginger would do, but perhaps up the sweetness content a bit in your dressing to account for the more pungent and spicy profile of ginger”, also done!
That looks really fresh and delicious! If you like blue cheese, a steak and blue cheese salad over sturdy greens is really good. I prefer a vinaigrette with blue cheese in or crumbled over the top.
Cobb style additions, minus the hard boiled egg is my preference.
That’s one of my favorite combos- a late lamented place near me used to serve just such a salad. Torn down and redeveloped- into a gas station and minimart.
