Thai Beef Salad (Yam Nua) -Thit Bo Nuong Xa Tron Ca Chua Kieu Thai

Inspiration from Thai Beef Salad by Laura Russell from Milk Street.

Ingredients: serves 4 with cooked rice

Grilled Beef
1 pound flank steak or any tender cut beef
2 garlic clove, finely minced
2 Tablespoon finely minced lemongrass (The tender part from1 stalk of lemongrass)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon  ground black pepper

Dressing
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (3 crab branch)
3 Tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 small red hot Thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large shallot or 1/4 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
7 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, and a few sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint or mix of herbs like mint, basil, etc.

Direction

1. Mash lemongrass, garlic in a small stainless steel bowl into a paste.  Add sugar, salt, black pepper, mix well. Coat the steak with the mixture both side.  Set aside.  Preheat grill, grill the steak to medium-rare 3-5 minutes a side turn once.  Transfer steak to a cutting board, let it rests for 10 minutes.    
2. Toss sliced shallot or onion with lime juice, set aside. Cut tomatoes.  Wash and drain  cilantro,mint/herbs.  Then add fish sauce, sugar and sliced chili into lime juice and onion mixture; mix well until sugar dissolved. 
3.  Slice steak again the grain.  Toss sliced beef and tomato, mint, cilantro together in a large bowl.  Then add the fish sauce mixture and toss again.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Transfer accumulated dressing left at the bottom of the mixing bowl to a small bowl and serve on the side. Serve with cooked rice.

* Extra lemongrass can be stored in an airtight container in freezer.
*Make sure wash your fingers careful after handle hot pepper.

*This is how my boyfriend made his plate.  Vietnamese eats rice from a small bowl with a pair of chopsticks.   We pick up a small portion of meat and veggie; put them on top of rice; then raise the bowl close to our mouth; use chopsticks to transfer a small amount of rice with the topping into one bite.  Watch out  and wait for elders make the first move and make sure everyone has a fair share of food.