Spicy Cabbage Salad with Chile-Rubbed Flank Steak
Spicy Cabbage Salad with Chile-Rubbed Flank Steak
Emily C. Swantner
Servings: 4
This is a fantastic salad when you want a quick but dynamic summer meal.
In Southeast Asia, cooks have a tendency to toss whole herb leaves into their dishes, using them like greens. This is a great way to get deep, aromatic flavors into your food, so in this recipe feel free to follow the Southeast Asian practice.
Rau Ram is a Vietnamese herb which has a very unique flavor, something akin to the mixture of mint & basil. If you cannot find Rau Ram, feel free to substitute sweet basil and any garden variety mint.
FOR THE DRESSING:
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced serrano chile
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
FOR THE SALAD:
3 jalapeno chiles
3 tablespoons freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds fland steak or petite sirloin
½ head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, halved, julienned
½ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves
½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
⅓ cup loosely packed Rau Ram or mint leaves
Method
In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk together well. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a second small bowl, combine the chile pepper, black pepper and salt and mix well. Rub the steak liberally with this mixture and grill 4-6 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, bell pepper, basil, cilantro and mint. Slice the steak crosswise as thinly as possible, then cut the slices into bite-sized pieces. Add them to the cabbage mixture. Stir the dressing well, and add just enough to moisten the ingredients. There will be some dressing left over. Toss to coat and serve immediately.