Neua Nam Tok (Vietnamese Grilled Beef Salad)

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman’s The Best Recipes in the World. It is so delicious. It will be an excellent recipe for summer. I think I'll grow a pot of mint just for this salad!

Ingredients

1 to 1 ½ pounds strip steak, about 1 inch thick

salt to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste

¼ cup nam pla (fish sauce)

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 shallots, sliced

2 small fresh chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded and minced, or 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 teaspoons sugar

roughly 4 cups red or green leaf lettuce, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled if necessary, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and sliced

1 cup fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat a grill or broiler. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper, then grill for about 4 minutes per side (or until it’s as cooked as you want it). Remove from the heat and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, shallots, chiles and sugar. Cut the steak into ¼-inch slices and immediately toss the steak with the dressing.

Place the lettuce, cucumber, mint and cilantro on a plate and top with the steak and dressing. Serve immediately.