Nam-tok-neua recipe

Nam-tok-neua or hot-sour beef steak salad is dish popularly served in Isan style restaurants (not only in Isan but also throughout Thailand). Really yummy to try.

A piece of steak served together with cooked vegetables and a glass of red wine is a favorite set for many. Nonetheless, there are many ways to make wonderful dishes from steaks, such as grilling, pan-frying, broiling, etc. In my hometown in Isan (northeastern Thailand), there is a great dish called nam-tok-neua (hot-sour beef steak salad), made with thin slices of grilled beef steak seasoned with fish sauce, lime juice, ground roasted dried chili and ground roasted rice. Basic vegetables like shallots, green onion, cilantro, culantro and mint leaves are often added and blended in the last step to add fragrances.

Simple and easy to make, yet this spicy-savory is really yummy. It is a good idea for someone loving spicy food to add more ground roasted-dried chili. Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 1 beef steak
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp ground roasted-dried chili
• 2½ tbsp ground roasted rice
• 4 Thai shallots, thin slice
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cilantros, chopped
• 2 culantro, chopped crosswise into 1-cm-wide pieces
• 1 handful mint leaves
• Vegetables, such as lettuces, long bean cut into 2-inch lengths, slices of cucumbers, mints, etc, for serving as sides

Direction

1. Heat up a grill. When it is hot, grill the steak until done to your liking. Remove from heat, place on a plate and let it stand for a while.
2. Slice the beef steak into thin-bite-sized slices and then, transfer into a mixing bowl.
3. Flavor to taste as need with fish sauce, lime juice, ground roasted-dried chili and ground roasted rice.
4. Add shallots, spring onion, cilantro, culantro and mint leaves and stir to incorporate all contents.
5. To serve, spoon onto a serving plate lined with a large-firm lettuce leaf. Arrange vegetables as sides.

Pork steak is also a good selection for this.