Thai Tuna Salad

From "Pok Pok" by Andy Ricker

DRESSING:
 2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Palm sugar simple syrup (coarsely chop 2 ounces palm sugar and put in small pan with 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved)
1-14 gram piece peeled ginger cut into 1 1/2 inch long matchsticks (about 2 tablespoons)
1 grams peeled garlic cloves halved and thinly sliced ( about 1 tablespoon)
6 grams fresh Thai chiles (about 4), preferable green, thinly sliced

SALAD:
1 (5-ounce) can solid light tuna packed in water, drained and broken into large pieces
2 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 4), halved, or quartered  if large
7 grams thinly sliced lemongrass (tender parts only), from about 1 large stalk (about 1 tablespoon)
14 grams peeled yellow onion, thinly sliced with the grain (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro (thin stems and leaves), lightly packed
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped Chinese celery (thin leaves & stems), lightly packed (I substituted Italian parsley)
I tablespoon thinly sliced green onion, lightly packed

To make the dressing:
Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, simple syrup, ginger, garlic, and chiles in a medium pot, set it over medium heat, and heat the mixture just until it's warm to the touch. Turn off the heat.

Assemble the salad:
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot with the dressing and toss gently but well. Transfer the salad, liquid and all, to a plate in a heap, and serve.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad

I made this salad when I was in San Diego over Christmas 2011. Serve with cooked jasmine rice.

Grilled Thai Beef Salad (from Cooks Illustrated)

1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon raw jasmine rice
3 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 flank steak (about 1.5 pounds)
Salt and pepper
4 shallots, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves, torn
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 Thai chili, sliced thin into rounds
1 seedless English cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick on bias

1. Heat paprika and cayenne in 8-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, shaking pan, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add rice and toast, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and let cool 5 minutes. Grind rice with spice grinder, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle until it resembles fine meal (you should have about 1 tablespoon of rice powder).

2. Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, water, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon toasted paprika mixture in large bowl and set aside.

3. Season steak with salt and pepper. Grill until done. Transfer to carving board, tent loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes.

4. Line platter with cucumber slices. Slice meat, against grain, on bias, into 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer sliced steak to bowl with fish sauce mixture, add shallots, mint, cilantro, chile, and half of the rice powder, and toss to combine. Arrange steak over cucumber-lined platter. Serve, passing remaining rice powder and toasted paprika mixture separately.