Thai Beef Salad w/Aubergines
Did I ever tell you that I love Thai food???
Thai Beef Salad with Aubergines., or eggplants where I am from.
12 oz beef sirloin
1 banana leaf, wiped clean
10 Thai eggplants (sub pea eggplant)
9 shallots, julienne
9 Thai chilies. crushed (or just use as many as you would like, 9 is Bangkok spicy!)
½ cup lemongrass, thinly sliced
¼ cup mint leaves, julienne
¼ cup pakchee farang (cilantro), julienne
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 head lettuce
Fresh mint for garnish
1 cup lemon juice and water
Instructions:
1. Trim the beef of any extra fat and wrap in the banana leaf. Tie and grill over hot coals until cooked, about 10 minutes or so. Remove, cool and slice thin.
2. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, lime juice and the sugar together. Toss the sliced beef with the dressing and set aside.
3. Wash and cut the eggplant into small wedges (leave the pea eggplant whole if using) and soak in acidulated water (that's water with lemon or lime juice in it).
4. Add the eggplant, the lemongrass, the pakchee farang (cilantro) and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Serve on a platter with the lettuce on the bottom. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and decorative chilies or carved vegetables..