This meets the qualification for inclusion because it has gone down a storm on the three occasions I’ve made it: first at The Ridge one Boxing Day (maybe 15 years ago); then last year, mid-pandemic, at Granny’s flat in Putney; and, most recently, to celebrate the February birthdays in 2021. My go-to recipe comes from an Australian website and now lives, printed in hard copy, among the ragged clippings in the ‘filing system’ on the cookbook shelf.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1½ tbsp fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped palm sugar (or use light brown sugar)
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 beef rump steak (about 680g)
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, halved lengthways, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 long fresh red chillies, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced lengthways
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked, large leaves torn
1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked
1 bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves picked, large leaves torn
55g toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, centre veins removed, finely shredded
Method
Whisk together the lime juice, garlic, fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and palm sugar in a jug. Place the steak in a glass or ceramic dish. Drizzle with half the dressing, cover with cling film and place in the fridge (if it’s a hot day), turning occasionally, for 2 hours to develop the flavours.
Preheat a griddle pan (or a barbecue) on high. Cook the steak on the grill for 2 minutes on each side for medium-rare or until cooked to your liking. Transfer to a board, cover with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Place the tomato, cucumber, onion, chilli, mint, coriander, basil, peanuts and lime leaves in a large bowl. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and add to the salad. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and gently toss to combine.
Years of Practice 