Leftover Steak? Turn it Into This Thai Beef Salad (Neua Yang Nam Tok) (Patreon)

Sometimes the best meals start as afterthoughts. A couple nights ago, my kids and I had fajitas for dinner, and the next day there was this hunk of cooked skirt steak sitting in the fridge. Here’s an admission: I like cold, day-old steak almost more than I like a freshly cooked one. There’s something about the way the juices and fat firm up that gives even a rare steak a more satisfying, melt-in-your-mouth bite—and it can be dressed up in any number of ways.

One of my favorite flavor combinations of all time is lime + fish sauce + chilies + herbs + toasted rice. It’s the backbone of the Thai dish nam tok—a family of salads that are bright, spicy, and loaded with texture. When it’s made with beef, it’s called neua yang nam tok, or “waterfall beef,” a reference to the juices sizzling and vaporizing as they drip onto the coals while the meat cooks.

Traditionally, you’d marinate a fresh steak in oyster sauce, soy sauce, and a bit of sugar, then grill it, slice it thin, and toss it with that dressing. But the bulk of the flavor in this dish comes from the dressing itself, which means that even if your leftover steak was seasoned with cumin and chili powder (as mine was), it’ll still taste excellent once the lime, herbs, and fish sauce join the party.

If you want to learn a very traditional version of the dish cooked by a wonderful Thai Chef, check out my friend Pailin Chongchitnant's recipe over on her website, Hot Thai Kitchen. I've had this dish made with sliced pork belly, with vegetables, with pulled chicken, even with California-grown beans (if you're in San Francisco, do not miss the incredible Nam Tok Beans at Kin Khao).

Toasted rice powder might sound like a fancy ingredient, but it’s just plain rice—dry-toasted in a skillet and ground to a coarse powder. Traditionally it’s made with glutinous (sticky) rice—glutinous as in sticky, not glutenous as in containing gluten—but jasmine rice or any other long-grain variety works just fine. It adds a nutty aroma and a light crunch to every bite, the same way toasted nuts or bread crumbs lift a salad. It actually reminds me a lot of farofa, the Brazilian condiment made from toasted cassava flour. The trick is to toast the rice until it’s golden brown and crunchy all the way through; under-toasted rice has this plasticky, unpleasant chew that never quite goes away.

While the rice toasts, you can slice the steak and prep the remaining ingredients, which means the whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes, start to finish. Add lettuce, cucumber, or any other vegetables to bulk it up into a full meal—or go classic and serve it alongside sticky rice.

Recipe: Thai Beef Salad (Neua Yang Nam Tok)

What I love about this recipe:

The toasted rice powder adds flavor and a tiny crunch in every bite.

Flexible: use leftover steak, any or all of the herbs called for, and other vegetables or fruits.

Fast: the rice toasts while you slice and mix; dinner in ~20 minutes.

Balanced, punchy dressing you can tweak to your taste.

Yield: 2 for lunch (or 3–4 as a side)Active Time: 20 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutesNotes: Traditionally made with grilled beef and glutinous (sticky) rice powder. Jasmine rice also works. Slice steak against the grain for tenderness. The most traditional versions of this salad do not contain lettuce or other vegetables. You can add more beef and omit the vegetables if desired.

Ingredients

For the toasted rice powder

3 tablespoons (25g) uncooked rice (glutinous/sticky rice preferred; jasmine works)

You’ll end up with about 2 Tbsp (12–15 g) of powder; you’ll use most in the salad and save a pinch to garnish.

For the salad

8-12 oz (240-340g) cooked steak, thinly sliced against the grain (skirt, flank, hanger, work best, but any leftover steak will do)

1 small romaine heart (about 6 oz/170g), chopped bite-size

1 cup (150 g) cucumber, halved and sliced

1 small shallot (about 1.5 oz/40 g), very thinly sliced

A couple big handfuls mixed herbs (cilantro, mint, and basil or Thai basil, preferably)

Optional but tasty add-ins: some thinly sliced sweet or hot peppers (I used Jimmy Nardello), thinly sliced lemongrass (tender inner stalk only), sawtooth coriander if you can find it

2 Tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (from ~1 lime), plus more to taste

2–3 tsp (10–15 ml) fish sauce, to taste

1–1½ tsp (4–6 g) sugar, to taste

½–1 tsp roasted chili flakes (to taste; Thai, Sichuan, or standard crushed red pepper all work)

Method

Toast the rice. Place rice in a dry skillet in a thin, even layer. Cook over medium heat, shaking/tossing occasionally, until deeply golden and fragrant, 8–12 minutes. Taste a grain: it should be crunchy (granola-like), not plasticky. Go a shade darker if you want more nuttiness.

Grind. Transfer toasted rice to a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine, sandy powder (a spice/coffee grinder works too). Set aside.

Slice the steak. While the rice toasts, identify the grain of the meat and slice across it into thin (~1/4- to 1/6-inch/6-8mm) slices.

Build the salad. Add the romaine, cucumber, shallots, herbs, and steak to the bowl (along with any optional add-ins). Add the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili flakes. Sprinkle in 1 1/2 tablespoons (about 10g) toasted rice powder and toss well with your hands until every piece of meat and vegetables is coated in the dressing and toasted rice.

Taste and tune. Add more lime for brightness, fish sauce for salinity/umami, chili for heat, and a pinch more sugar if it feels sharp. If you want a little more texture, add the remaining rice powder.

Finish & serve. Pile into bowls, top with a pinch of extra herbs, a few chili flakes, and a dusting of rice powder. Eat right away. (If you’ve got sticky rice on hand, serve it on the side and use it to scoop.)