Yum Nua (Thai Beef Salad)

Have you ever finished eating something and been like, damn, I wish I could travel back in time 15 minutes and eat this meal all over again? Because that’s kind of what happened to me last night when I made this for dinner. After traveling last weekend (and staying home sick due to it), my eating was thrown way off whack due to an empty fridge and way too many empty carbs – the breaking points was when I had a vicious blood sugar crash after eating a delicious bagel for breakfast yesterday. Worth it, yes, but maybe my boss didn’t need to see me pawing through my desk drawers with shaking hands going “oh my god give me candy now.”

This recipe from Shape.com, which I like to read when I’m feeling particularly out-of, seemed like the perfect solution – I guess you could serve it on its own, but I piled it on top of kale to feel even more smug about the final dish. It’s low-carb, colorful, packed with green….even almost Paleo (minus the brown sugar, correct me if I’m wrong). (Yes, I’m intrigued by that diet, but that might be a post for another time.)

Since time travel hasn’t been invented yet, you might want to double the recipe. Just saying.

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Recipe: Yum Nua (Thai Beef Salad) (adapted from Shape.com)
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temp
1/2-3/4 pound skirt steak, room temp
5-6 cups kale leaves, rinsed and stems discarded
1 avocado
1 teaspoon Thai chili powder (OR 2-3 dried Thai chilies like these, finely diced) (yes, I finally bought those racist spices)
2 limes
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1. Bring a cast-iron pan or grill to high heat and schmear the butter onto both sides of the skirt steak. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare, then remove to a plate and tent with a foil to keep warm and rest while you prep everything else.

2. Put the kale into a large bowl (this is what you’ll serve the dish in so plan accordingly). Pit and slice the avocado (like this) and use your hands to smoosh/massage it into the kale for ~5 minutes until softened and wilted slightly. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl combine the chilies, fish sauce, sugar, and the juice of the two limes, whisking together until combined.

4. Put the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro into another mixing bowl. Slice the steak against the grain (lengthwise for me), then add to the tomatoes etc., along with any juices from the cutting board. Add the chili-lime dressing and toss to combine. Add the whole mix to the kale and avocado, toss to combine again, and serve immediately.