As we settle into winter it’s still nice to have fresh and light meals even when the usual salad ingredients are out of season which is why we created this winter Thai beef salad. It’s packed with fresh herbs, and a light and tangy dressing but features golden roasted pumpkin for some warmth.
This Week
2 Dec - 8 Dec
Meal Prep Guide
Chop ¼ pumpkin into small cubes (store in an airtight container in the fridge).
Roast ⅓ cup cashews (allow to cool then store in an airtight container in the pantry).
Prepare the dressing (store in a glass jar in the fridge).
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp tamari
- 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lime (juice)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp ginger (grated)
- 1 garlic clove (crushed)
Method
- Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake well to combine.
Tips
- Bringing your steak to room temperature before cooking ensures even cooking of your steak (so the outside doesn’t burn before the inside is cooked through).
- Resting the steak is so important as it stops the juices from running and instead, the steak can retain these juices and your steak will be nice and tender.
- If you like things spicy then add some fresh chilli or chilli flakes to the dressing.
Shortcuts
Vegetables
- Swap out the pumpkin for sweet potato.
Protein
- Swap out the steak for grilled chicken, or leftover roasted chicken.
- For a vegetarian option swap steak for 600g of firm tofu. Press tofu for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Once the tofu is pressed, tear it into small pieces and pop them onto the tray. Drizzle over 2 Tbsp of sweet chilli sauce, 2 Tbsp tamari, 1 Tbsp sesame oil and 1-2 Tbsp olive oil; toss well. Spread the tofu out on the tray and bake for 15 minutes, then give the tofu a good toss and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Other
- Top with some crispy shallots.
- Serve alongside some jasmine rice or add some rice noodles to the salad.
Ingredients
- ¼ large pumpkin (cut into small cubes)
- 600g scotch fillet steak
- 120g baby cos (1 bag)
- ½ cup coriander (roughly torn)
- ¼ cup mint or Vietnamese mint (roughly torn)
- ⅓ cup roasted cashews (roughly chopped)
- Olive oil or coconut oil
- Salt
Dressing
- 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp tamari
- 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 lime (juice)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp ginger (grated)
- 1 garlic clove (crushed)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, fan bake.
- Add the pumpkin to a baking tray, drizzle over olive oil or melted coconut oil and season with salt; pop in the oven to roast for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- While pumpkin is roasting, prepare the dressing. Simply add all of the ingredients to a glass jar and shake well to combine.
- Rub a little olive oil or melted coconut oil over the steak and season with salt. Heat a pan over a high heat until super hot; add the steak and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side (depending on the size).
- Remove from the pan and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Once sliced add to a bowl with ⅓ of the dressing and toss well.
- Once the pumpkin has cooked, we like to let it cool about 10 minutes so it doesn’t wilt the lettuce.
- Time to assemble the salad! Add the cos and herbs to a large bowl or platter, scatter over the roasted pumpkin, pour over the remaining dressing and gently toss before topping with the steak and roasted cashews.
Variations
Vegetables
- Swap out the pumpkin for sweet potato.
Protein
- Swap out the steak for grilled chicken, or leftover roasted chicken.
- For a vegetarian option swap steak for 600g of firm tofu. Press tofu for 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Once the tofu is pressed, tear it into small pieces and pop them onto the tray. Drizzle over 2 Tbsp of sweet chilli sauce, 2 Tbsp tamari, 1 Tbsp sesame oil and 1-2 Tbsp olive oil; toss well. Spread the tofu out on the tray and bake for 15 minutes, then give the tofu a good toss and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Other
- Top with some crispy shallots.
- Serve alongside some jasmine rice or add some rice noodles to the salad.
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