Nua nam tok Hot and sour grilled beef salad with roasted rice

Serves 4
1lb (450g) top sirloin or other tender beef,
trimmed of fat
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp five-spice powder
2 fresh red jalapeño or serrano chilies,
seeded and finely chopped
2in (5cm) piece of fresh ginger, sliced into
thin matchsticks
4 scallions (green onions), cut into fine slivers
2 shallots, thinly sliced
½ bunch of fresh cilantro leaves
20 fresh mint leaves
juice of 3 limes
1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp ground roasted rice (see below)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1Season the meat with the cinnamon, cumin, five-spice powder, salt, and
black pepper. On a preheated outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan, cook the
beef over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes or until medium-rare. Let the
meat rest in a warm place for 5 minutes.
2To make the salad, thinly slice the beef and mix in a bowl with the chilies,
ginger, scallions, and shallots. Top with the cilantro and half of the mint.
Add the lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Add half of the ground roasted
rice. Toss gently to mix. The flavors should be hot, sour, and salty. Add more
chilies, lime juice, and fish sauce, if necessary.
3Slice the remaining mint into thin strips. Serve the salad garnished with the
remaining roasted rice and the mint.
Roasted rice Roasted rice is not difficult to make and has a great nutty flavor.
It is similar to toasted sesame seeds, so you could use those instead, if you like.
But roasting rice is worth the effort. Simply scatter a couple of handfuls of raw
jasmine or sticky rice on baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven
for 6–8 minutes or until evenly golden and fragrant. Check frequently while
cooking to avoid burning. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking
sheet. When cool, grind using a pestle and mortar. It is very hard, so it needs to
be pounded until it is broken up into fine pieces but not ground to a powder.