Isaan-Style Waterfall Beef (Nam Tok Neau)
Often called waterfall salad, it is more a sauced, spiced steak with crunch from roasted rice powder and fresh herbs. Isaan is the northeast region of Thailand bordering Laos; dishes like larb and waterfall salad have sister dishes in Laos.
Ingredients
| 1 lb (454 g) | boneless ribeye steak | |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | Thai soybean sauce (substitute thin soy sauce if needed) | |
| 1 stalk | lemongrass, tough outer stalks discarded, sliced on a very thin bias | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | coarse-ground black pepper |
| — | canola or other high-temperature cooking oil, for rubbing | |
| 2 tsp (10 g) | roasted rice powder (see Pro Tip), plus more for garnish | |
| 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) | fish sauce | |
| 1 tbsp (5 g) | Thai chili flakes, or to taste | |
| 2 tsp (10 g) | palm sugar or brown sugar | |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | fresh lime juice | |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | msg |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | white pepper |
| 1 | shallot, thinly sliced | |
| 12 | mint leaves | |
| 12 sprigs | cilantro | |
| 1 | scallion, sliced on the bias | |
| — | Steamed Thai Sticky Rice, for serving |
Instructions
Often called waterfall salad, to me it's tough to call this a salad. It's more like a sauced steak with spice and crunch from the rice powder served with fresh herbs. Isaan is the Northeast region of Thailand that borders Laos. Dishes like larb and waterfall salad have sister dishes in Laos and share a lot of common culture. If rib-eye seems too fatty, strip loin is also a great choice for this dish.
- In a zip-top bag, place the steak, the seasoning sauce, sliced lemongrass and black pepper. Seal the bag and massage the steak to distribute the ingredients and coat the steak well. Marinate in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.
- When you're ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat a large cast-iron pan over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Rub the steak with a tiny bit of oil on both sides. Sear the steak for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until browned and cooked to your desired doneness. Transfer the steak to a plate to rest for about 5 minutes.
- While the steak rests, place all the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl. Slice the steak against the grain into 1/4-inch (6-mm) slices, then add it to the bowl. Toss well with the mixture. Taste and adjust any of the seasonings if you'd like. Serve with steamed sticky rice.
Pro Tip for the rice powder: Roasted rice powder is a fun condiment. It adds a quintessential nutty, smoky crunch to larb as well as other dishes. It also soaks up the dressing and binds it to the dish, upping the flavor. Look for it at an Asian market, or make it at home. This homemade version makes 1/2 cup (90 g). Place 1/2 cup (90 g) dry Thai sticky rice in a medium dry pan over medium-high heat. When the pan starts to heat up and you smell the rice toasting, stir or pan-flip the rice every 20 seconds. If the rice seems like it's browning too fast, reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the rice is golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the rice to cool. Transfer the cooled rice to a spice grinder and pulse until it's sandy in texture.