Nam Tok literally means 'waterfall' because the beef juices dripping during grilling resemble cascading water in Thai.
Nam Tok
Dive into the vibrant world of Nam Tok, a Thai beef salad that’s a meat lover’s dream with a tantalizing blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. Featuring tender beef slices, zesty lime juice, and a delightful crunch from toasted rice, this dish is a flavor explosion in every bite. Get ready to savor the bold tastes of Thailand with this refreshing and satisfying salad!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- mint
- Shallot
- spring onion
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 300g rump steak (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (15 ml)
- toasted rice powder
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- coriander
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- dressing of 2:2:1 — fish sauce, palm sugar, lime
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (15 ml)
- ½ tbsp soy sauce (7.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- chillies
- dried chilli flakes
- lemongrass
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sear the steak hard, glaze with the marinade made from fish sauce, soy sauce, and palm sugar, and finish in a low oven until it reaches 52°C.
- 2
Let the steak rest, then slice it.
- 3
Prepare the aromatics and herbs by slicing shallot, chillies, spring onion, mint, coriander, and lemongrass.
- 4
Toast rice in a dry pan until golden, then grind it for a nutty crunch.
- 5
Combine the carved beef with the aromatics, add dried chilli, and dress everything with the fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime dressing.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the steak at 450-500°F surface temperature for 90 seconds per side to create Maillard reactions while keeping the interior below 40°C before oven finishing.technique450-500°F surface temp
- ✓Toast jasmine rice in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then grind immediately while warm to release maximum aromatic oils and achieve fine texture.timing3-4 minutes
- ✓Rest the seared steak for exactly 10 minutes before slicing to allow proteins to relax and redistribute juices, preventing moisture loss when cutting.timing10 minutes
- ✓Balance your nam jim jeaw dressing to 3:2:1 ratio of fish sauce to lime juice to palm sugar, adjusting lime last as citric acid intensifies over time.ingredient3:2:1 ratio
- ✓Slice beef against the grain at 45-degree angle in 3mm thick pieces to break muscle fibers and maximize surface area for dressing absorption.technique3mm thickness
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Nam Tok literally means 'waterfall' because the beef juices dripping during grilling resemble cascading water in Thai.
Nam Tok
Dive into the vibrant world of Nam Tok, a Thai beef salad that’s a meat lover’s dream with a tantalizing blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. Featuring tender beef slices, zesty lime juice, and a delightful crunch from toasted rice, this dish is a flavor explosion in every bite. Get ready to savor the bold tastes of Thailand with this refreshing and satisfying salad!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- mint
- Shallot
- spring onion
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 300g rump steak (10.6 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 1 tbsp palm sugar (15 ml)
- toasted rice powder
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- coriander
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- dressing of 2:2:1 — fish sauce, palm sugar, lime
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (15 ml)
- ½ tbsp soy sauce (7.5 ml)
📦Other(3)
- chillies
- dried chilli flakes
- lemongrass
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Sear the steak hard, glaze with the marinade made from fish sauce, soy sauce, and palm sugar, and finish in a low oven until it reaches 52°C.
- 2
Let the steak rest, then slice it.
- 3
Prepare the aromatics and herbs by slicing shallot, chillies, spring onion, mint, coriander, and lemongrass.
- 4
Toast rice in a dry pan until golden, then grind it for a nutty crunch.
- 5
Combine the carved beef with the aromatics, add dried chilli, and dress everything with the fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime dressing.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the steak at 450-500°F surface temperature for 90 seconds per side to create Maillard reactions while keeping the interior below 40°C before oven finishing.technique450-500°F surface temp
- ✓Toast jasmine rice in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then grind immediately while warm to release maximum aromatic oils and achieve fine texture.timing3-4 minutes
- ✓Rest the seared steak for exactly 10 minutes before slicing to allow proteins to relax and redistribute juices, preventing moisture loss when cutting.timing10 minutes
- ✓Balance your nam jim jeaw dressing to 3:2:1 ratio of fish sauce to lime juice to palm sugar, adjusting lime last as citric acid intensifies over time.ingredient3:2:1 ratio
- ✓Slice beef against the grain at 45-degree angle in 3mm thick pieces to break muscle fibers and maximize surface area for dressing absorption.technique3mm thickness