Thai Steak Salad (Whole30 Nam Tok)

THAI STEAK SALAD😍 (Whole 30)

I remember nearing the final days of my first Whole30 and being SO BORED with cooking, food, and most importantly, doing the dishes LOL Whenever I need to switch things up in the kitchen, I always rely on Thai food. It has so many different flavor profiles in one dish - equal parts salty, tangy, fresh, and sweet for the best combo. This super simple dinner comes together in under 20 minutes and tastes like flavor fireworks going off in your mouth. You’re gonna wanna make this one ASAP

This is also a great way to use up leftover steak (as long as they weren’t intensely marinated) because we all know what microwaving does to a steak. Ew, no thanks. Just add the cold steaks to the marinade, and let come to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

• 2 ribeye or sirloin steaks (about 1.5 lbs)

•  ¼ cup fish sauce

• ¼ cup apple juice

• ½ tsp pepper

For the Thai Salad (Nam Tok):

• 4 small persian cucumbers

• 2 shallots, sliced thinly

• 1 cup fresh mint

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems chopped

• 1-2 thai birds eye chillies or similar

• 3 green onions, greens and whites chopped

• ¼ cup fish sauce

• ¼ cup apple juice

• Juice from 1 lime

• **Note: if you are not doing Whole30 and want to make this more traditional, substitute the apple juice for palm sugar and add 1 tsp toasted rice powder (toast sticky rice, and then grind into a powder)

Directions:

For the Thai Steak Salad (Nam Tok):

• Using a meat tenderizer or the bottom of a heavy pot, pound the steaks to about ½” thickness. 

• For the marinade, whisk together the fish sauce, apple juice, and pepper. Add in your steaks and marinate for 10-15 minutes as they come to room temperature.

• Get a cast iron really nice and hot (the pan should sizzle if you sprinkle water). Add in some avocado oil or other neutral oil with a high smoke point.

• Add in your steaks and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until you’ve developed a nice crust but still medium rare. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes while you work on the rest of your ingredients.

• Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut into ½” thick slices (they should look like half moons)

• Slice your chillies thinly, scooping out the seeds if you aren’t a big fan of heat.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, apple juice, and lime juice. 

• Add in the sliced cucumbers, sliced shallots, sliced green onions, mint leaves, chopped cilantro, and chillies.

• Once the steak has rested, slice super thin against the grain and toss in with the rest of the ingredients.

• Mix well and serve!