Lime-marinated beef salad

By: Andreas Pohl, Tracey Lister
From: KOTO
Photographer: Michael Fountoulakis

This beef salad is often part of the famous ‘beef seven ways’ dining experience. As beef is still quite expensive in Vietnam, the combination of seven meat dishes is saved for special occasions. Usually this series of dishes features beef in betel leaf, beef that has been marinated and grilled, a steamed dish, beef dipped into a sour broth and served with green fruit and vegetables, a beef rice porridge, ground beef cakes with rice cookies (Banh da) and, finally, this beef salad.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
4 tablespoons	lime juice
3 tablespoons	fish sauce
2 tablespoons	caster sugar
2	garlic cloves, chopped
1	lemongrass stem, chopped, white part only
1	long red chilli, seeded and chopped
	vegetable oil, for frying
500g	beef fillet
4	red asian shallots, thinly sliced
1 large handful	thai basil leaves
1 handful	rice-paddy herb
1 handful	mint leaves
4 tablespoons	roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons	Fried shallots

Method

Prepare the marinade by combining the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the garlic, lemongrass and chilli.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the beef fillet for 8–10 minutes, evenly browning all sides. Remove from the pan and rest for 5–7 minutes before slicing thinly and tossing through the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
To serve, remove the beef from the marinade and combine with the fresh shallots, herbs and peanuts. Gently toss and place on a platter. Scatter the fried shallots on top.