- Dressing - see notes section for amount options:
- 1/2 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed (about 8–10 limes)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3–5 Thai chilies, sliced
- 2 tablespoons sugar, preferably palm sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- Salad:
- 1 whole cucumber, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 shallots or 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 1 large handful fresh mint, chopped
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- Lettuce of your choice — romaine, butter crunch, spring mix, or a combination
- Optional: Mung bean noodles / glass noodles, prepared according to package
- Beef - see notes:
- 2 pounds flank steak, flat iron, or New York strip - see notes
- Marinade:
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey or 2 tablespoons palm sugar
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Make the Dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Add more or fewer Thai chilies depending on your desired spice level. Taste and adjust for a balance of sweet, sour, and salty.
Marinate the Beef
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a zip lock bag. Add the beef and marinate for at least 20 minutes, or longer if you have time.
Cook the Beef
- Grill the beef or sear it in a very hot cast iron pan, 3–4 minutes per side, or longer depending on the thickness of your cut. You’re looking for a deep brown crust on each side. 4 minutes per side will give you medium rare.
- Let the beef rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing against the grain into ¼” thick slices.
Assemble
- On a large platter or bowl, arrange the lettuce as your base. Add all the prepared vegetables around it.
- Top with the sliced beef. Drizzle generously with dressing and serve immediately. There will be plenty of extra dressing left over. You can keep the steak warm or allow it to cool before serving.
- Serve with mung bean noodles on the side if desired.
Backstory
I love Thai food for its bold flavors and fresh ingredients. This is a great dish to make, especially in the summertime when I can pick cucumbers and cherry tomatoes right from my garden. I can also find a lot of the salad ingredients at a local co-op — Central City Co-op in Houston, Texas — for the same price or less than the grocery store. I’m also lucky to live near two great Thai restaurants that both have a market on-site where I can buy fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, curry paste, noodles, and all kinds of Asian ingredients I cook with regularly.
I’m showing off my second round of Japanese cucumbers in the photos — a variety called Sashimi. They’ve done quite well so far and it’s not even summer yet.
I usually have everything on hand for this dish except the beef, so it’s an easy one to pull together. It’s hearty and satisfying without being heavy — good protein, fresh vegetables, and that dressing ties it all together.
Speaking of the dressing — it’s easy to tweak to your taste. Adjust the Thai chilies up or down, or remove the seeds for gentler heat. If it feels too pungent, add more water. My son likes his yum nua dressing a bit lighter than I do. I’m addicted to the full funk of fish sauce, heat, and sweet punch all at once.
Beef: If you've got leftover cooked steak sitting around, this is the perfect dish to just slice it up and toss in. I've used several cuts of meat and even skipped marinating - the audacity right? The dressing/sauce carries the dish well with the bold flavors.