Thai Beef Salad, Nam Tok

Ingredients:

1. 1 Ib steak (New York strips, sirloin, ribeye or skirt steak)
2. 2 Tbsp thin soy sauce or light soy sauce
3. 1 Tsp grounded black pepper
4. 1/2 stalk of lemon grass, sliced diagonally
5. 1 Tbs cooking oil
6. 1 Tbsp fish sauce
7. 6g carob syrup
8. 2 Tbsp Lime fresh juice
9. 1 to 2 Tbsp dried Thai chilli flakes or regular red flakes
10. 1 Tsp toasted sticky or Jasmine rice powder 

11. 1 small shallot
12. 1 green onion
13. handful cilantro
14. handful mint

Method:
1. In a mixing bowl or ziplock bag, combine steak, soy sauce, black pepper and lemongrass.
2. Give a massage to coat steak evenly with soy sauce and black pepper. Cover with a plastic wrap close tightly if you are using a ziplock bag and marinate at least 20 minutes at room temperature or overnight in a fridge.
3. Heat a cast iron pan or large skillet over high heat, add cooking oil. Place marinated steak along with excess soy sauce in marinate and lemongrass pieces on to the pan.

4. Cook steak 3 to 4 minutes each side for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium if you are using 1-inch thick steak. Don't forget to sear side of steak as well. Remove from heat and let the steak rest for 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, slice shallot thinly, chop green onion, cilantro and prepare mint by taking leaves off from the stem. Set aside.
6. Slice steak into 1/4-inch thick.
7. In a large mixing bowl, whisk fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice and chilli flakes all together. Stir in sliced steak along with toasted rice powder. Toss until steak pieces are coated evenly with dressing.
8. Finally, toss in all the vegetables we prepared. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with toasted rice powder. Enjoy with sticky rice or by itself!

Notes for Toasted Sticky or Jasmine Rice Powder:
Heat a medium-size skillet over medium-low heat; add uncooked rice and toast until nicely golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder and grind toasted rice into your desired fineness.