With the weather warming, our palates naturally turn to lighter fare.  This is a nice dish for this transition from winter to summer (you know, the DC spring that lasts 3 days). You can serve it warm over steamed rice and the next day, serve the cold leftovers over greens. I discovered this recipe years ago on the Internet SOMEWHERE, but I’ve adapted it to my taste and kitchen. My apologies to the original poster for lack of attribution.

This was the dish for which I first purchased fish sauce. Fish sauce is a Asian condiment made from fermented, salted fish (you probably don’t want the details). Fish sauce can be found in American grocery stores as well as international markets. I have to be honest, it is VERY pungent and VERY salty — a little goes a long way. I use it in all sorts of dishes where I want to add richness (“umami”), like a chili or a stew, because no “fish” flavor really comes through — just salty and savory. Not so different from using anchovies or anchovy paste as a base for a pasta sauce. If you’ve never used it before, this is a good “Intro To Fish Sauce” dish.

Thai-Inspired Beef Salad

1 medium red onion (or 1/2 a large red onion — to taste)
5 tablespoons lime juice (I use bottled Nellie’s)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
Bunch of cilantro
1.5 pounds flank steak; alternatives are skirt steak or a well-trimmed 3/4″ thick London broil
2 tablespoons toasted rice powder

Optional Garnish(es): Chopped dry roasted peanuts, cilantro leaves, mint leaves

I like to pull meat from the fridge about 1/2 hour before I think it’s going to hit the grill (or pan). I let it rest on the countertop, pushed back out of reach of the dog, of course. For this dish, it takes me about 1/2 hour for prep, so I pull the meat out at the beginning as I’m pulling the other ingredients.

Start by making your toasted rice powder: Put 2 – 4 tablespoons of raw uncooked white rice (I use jasmine) in a dry skillet heated over medium to medium-high heat. Watch it, shaking the pan occasionally, until the rice starts to toast and take on color. Now, shake the pan often to keep the rice moving — it can go from light brown to burnt rather quickly! Take it to a light-to-medium (golden) brown and pull from the heat. Allow to cool and then use a blender, spice grinder, or food processor to process to a coarse powder.

Slice your onion in half root to stem. Pull the papery peel off each half. Slice the onion vertically into thin strips – root to stem. Separate these slices into a bowl of ice water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This ice water bath will mellow the bite and crisp them up.

In a small non-reactive bowl, mix the lime juice, fish sauce, and chili flakes. Set aside.

Rinse your cilantro and drain on a paper or dish towel. Pull the individual leaves off each stem until you have about a cup of lightly packed leaves. It’s okay if you have bits of the tender top stem, but try not to get too much lower stem. Set aside.

DO NOT SEASON the meat — the dressing will have sufficient salt, thanks to the fish sauce. Cook your meat to medium-rare to medium. You want a nice crust on the outside and some pink juiciness still in the middle. Ideally, you would do this on a charcoal grill, with a gas grill being a close second. No worries — a quick sear in a hot skillet on the stovetop works too. I’d put a teaspoon or two of a neutral oil, like canola, in the hot skillet (less for flank or skirt steak, more for a London broil). Lay the meat in and DON’T touch it. After 5 – 8 minutes, the meat will naturally release from the pan, signifying it’s ready to be turned. Flip once and sear the other side. Again — the meat will naturally release from the pan when it’s nice and crusty. Use a meat thermometer if you are concerned about the level of doneness.

Whether grilled or pan-seared, let the steak rest 8 – 10 minutes after pulling from the heat.

Put the cilantro leaves in a large bowl. Drain the onions, pat dry, and add to the bowl. Slice the meat thinly across the grain and add to the bowl. Pour the lime/fish/chili dressing over the meat. Sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of toasted rice power and toss it all together. Garnish with the peanuts, additional cilantro leaves, or mint leaves, as desired.

Dork Note: I had the leftovers over greens for lunch, with every intention of taking a photograph. Unfortunately, I didn’t recall that intention until halfway through the salad — sorry.