Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad with Seared Beef and Herbs

What you need

• 200 g (7 oz) beef fillet, thinly sliced
• 3 tsp minced garlic, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar, plus 2 tbsp for the dressing
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• 1/3 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 250 g (9 oz) green papaya, peeled, seeded and finely shredded
• 50 g (2 oz) carrot, finely shredded
• 1 cucumber
• 3 stalks Chinese celery
• 2 long red chilies, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp chili sauce
• 1 handful Vietnamese mint, or spearmint, torn
• 3 tbsp fried shallots
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly crushed

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Toss the beef with 2 tsp of the garlic, 1/2 tsp of the sugar, 1/2 tsp of the salt, the chili powder and the oil. Leave it to absorb the seasoning while the vegetables are prepared.

2. 2

   Keep the papaya and carrot in the fridge until mixing so they stay crisp.

3. 3

   Shave the green skin of the cucumber off in thick strips, about 4 mm (1/8 in), and cut them into matchsticks. Discard the watery core.

4. 4

   Cut the celery into 4 cm (1 1/2 in) lengths, splitting any thick stalks.

5. 5

   For the dressing, stir the remaining 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt with the fish sauce, vinegar and chili sauce until dissolved, then add the last 1 tsp of garlic.

6. 6

   Heat a heavy frying pan over high heat until very hot. Sear the beef in one layer until browned outside and still pink inside, about 1 min per side. Cut into bite-sized strips.

7. 7

   Toss the papaya, carrot, cucumber, celery and chili strips together and pile them on a platter.

8. 8

   Arrange the beef on top and scatter over the mint, fried shallots and peanuts.

9. 9

   Pour the dressing over just before eating and toss at the table.

Imported from monngonmoingay.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.