Lemongrass and Aromatic Herb Beef Salad

Ingredients

• 400 g Beef for fondue (thin slices) (Cut into slices about 1.5 cm thick before cooking)
• 30 g Fresh mint leaves (Keep small leaves whole, cut larger ones in two or three)
• 30 g Fresh cilantro (Use the thin stems, cut larger ones into pieces)
• 20 g Gorgueil (Vietnamese coriander) (Vietnamese aromatic herb, flavor between cilantro and almond)
• 2 tiges Lemongrass (Remove the first two leaves, then slice the rest into thin rounds and coarsely chop)
• 2 tiges Green onion (spring onion) (Slice into thin rounds)
• 2 unités Shallots (Finely mince)
• 1 unité Lemon (Juice of a quarter lemon for the dressing)
• 2 unités Fresh chili (Remove seeds if you want less heat, slice into rounds)
• 1 c. à café Chili flakes (Adjust to your heat tolerance)
• 15 g White sugar (1 tablespoon)
• 30 ml Fish sauce (nuoc mam) (2 tablespoons)
• 20 g Sticky rice (Dry toasted then finely ground)
• ½ unité Cucumber (Thinly sliced for garnish)

Instructions

1. Toast the sticky rice

   Heat a pan over medium heat, add the dry sticky rice and toast, stirring regularly until golden and fragrant.

   Time: PT5M

2. Grind the toasted rice

   Transfer the toasted rice to a blender and grind into a fine powder. Set aside.

   Time: PT2M

3. Prepare the fresh herbs

   Pluck the mint leaves, cut larger ones in two or three, keep the small ones whole. For the cilantro, finely cut the stems and coarsely chop the leaves. Do the same with the gorgueil.

   Time: PT5M

4. Prepare the aromatics

   Thinly slice the shallots. Slice the green onion into rounds. Remove the first two leaves of the lemongrass, then slice it into thin rounds and coarsely chop.

   Time: PT5M

5. Prepare the fresh chili

   Remove the seeds from the chili if you desire less heat, then slice into rounds.

   Time: PT2M

6. Slice the beef

   Cut the beef into slices about 1.5 cm thick.

   Time: PT2M

7. Sear the beef

   Heat a pan with a drizzle of oil over high heat. Sear the beef slices 3‑4 minutes per side according to desired doneness.

   Time: PT6M

8. Rest the beef

   Remove the beef from the pan and let rest for 7 minutes before slicing thinly.

   Time: PT7M

9. Thinly slice the rested beef

   After resting, cut the beef into very thin strips.

   Time: PT2M

10. Prepare the dressing

    In a large bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, chili flakes, fresh chili rounds, the meat juices (collected during cooking) and the juice of a quarter lemon. Dissolve the sugar well.

    Time: PT3M

11. Assemble the salad

    Add the minced shallots, sliced beef, ground toasted rice and prepared herbs to the bowl. Gently toss to coat all ingredients well.

    Time: PT5M

12. Plating and serving

    Place the salad on a plate, garnish with cucumber rounds and, if desired, a little extra fragrant rice. Serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

25 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Beef for fondue (thin slices): Chicken breast, Firm tofu (for vegetarian version)
• Instead of Fresh mint leaves: Thai basil
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Flat leaf parsley
• Instead of Gorgueil (Vietnamese coriander): Long cilantro, Thai basil
• Instead of Lemongrass: Lemon zest + ginger
• Instead of Green onion (spring onion): Scallion
• Instead of Shallots: Red onion
• Instead of Lemon: Lime juice
• Instead of Fresh chili: Dried red chili
• Instead of Chili flakes: Smoked paprika
• Instead of White sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Fish sauce (nuoc mam): Soy sauce + lemon juice
• Instead of Sticky rice: Toasted rice flour
• Instead of Cucumber: Zucchini

Equipment Needed

• Frying pan (for the rice)
• Blender or small food processor
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Hot pan (for the beef)
• Salad bowl
• Wooden spoon or spatula

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Toast the sticky rice without burning it
• Sear the beef over high heat to achieve a nice coloration
• Balance the dressing (sugar, fish sauce, lemon) to taste

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very fresh herbs for optimal aroma.
• Let the beef rest before slicing to obtain tender strips.
• If you like crunchy textures, add crushed toasted peanuts as garnish.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the salad in an airtight container 1‑2 days. Fresh herbs may lose their crunch.

Freezer: Not recommended due to fresh herbs and already cooked beef.

Room temperature: Consume immediately; do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Toast and grind the sticky rice the day before and store in a sealed jar.
• Prepare all herbs and aromatics in advance, cover with a damp cloth.
• Beef can be seared ahead and lightly reheated before adding to the salad.