Thai Waterfall Beef Salad (Nam Tok)
Nam Tok is a Thai grilled-beef salad built on thinly sliced steak, fresh herbs, toasted rice powder, and a sharp lime-fish sauce dressing. The rice powder is the key detail — it adds a subtle nutty crunch that sets this salad apart from simpler slaws. The whole dish comes together in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Grill pan
- Sharp knife
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar preferably palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes adjust to taste
For the Salad:
- 1 pound beef steak sirloin or ribeye, at room temperature
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves whole or torn
- 1 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup cucumber sliced into half-moons
- 3 tablespoons roasted rice powder
Instructions
- Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili flakes in a bowl to create the dressing. Stir until the sugar dissolves and set aside.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat until very hot. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until desired doneness. Let the beef rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain and place in a large bowl. Add mint, cilantro, red onion, and cucumber.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients.
- Sprinkle roasted rice powder over the salad, tossing one more time to mix evenly.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, let the beef sit in the dressing for a few minutes before serving.
- Substitute chicken or tofu for a vegetarian option.
- To make roasted rice powder, toast uncooked sticky rice in a pan until golden and grind to a fine powder.
Nutrition
Calories: 61kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 727mgPotassium: 481mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1874IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 1mg
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