Thai Beef Salad

Description
Here's a salad with substance. You could serve it as a main meal, or as a starter for a Thai meal.



Ingredients

 * 1 teaspoon chili flakes, finely chopped
 * 2 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste
 * 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
 * 1 tablespoon fish sauce
 * ½ teaspoon sugar
 * 1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
 * 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and chopped (optional)
 * 100 g green beans, trimmed
 * ½ small cucumber, peeled
 * 20 small cherry tomatoes, halved
 * 20 red seedless grapes
 * ¼ cup fresh mint
 * ¼ cup fresh coriander
 * 300 g sirloin steak
 * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

 * 1) Mix the chili flakes and garlic together.
 * 2) Mix in the lime or lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, sliced lemongrass and red onions.
 * 3) Boil the beans in a pot of water for just for a couple minutes.
 * 4) Rinse in cool water and drain.
 * 5) Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
 * 6) Cut into half-moon shapes.
 * 7) Mix the beans, tomatoes, cucumber, grapes and most of the herbs together in a salad bowl.
 * 8) Heat up a frying pan or griddle until very hot.
 * 9) Smear the meat with oil on both sides and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side.
 * 10) This will leave a bit of pink in the middle.
 * 11) If you want it well done, adjust the cooking time as necessary.
 * 12) Let the meat rest for five minutes before slicing, then lay it on a work surface and slice it thinly on a slant.
 * 13) Spoon most of the dressing mixture you prepared earlier over the salad.
 * 14) Slide the steak slices through a bit of the remaining dressing, then arrange it over the salad.
 * 15) Decorate with the leftover herbs and serve.