Beef Ceviche with Lemongrass (Pla Neua)

May 6, 2023

Beef Ceviche with Lemongrass (Pla Neua) © kvalifood.com

Pla neua is a Thai salad where thinly sliced beef is “cooked” by lime juice, similar to a ceviche. The beef is briefly seared for food safety, then dressed with a pounded garlic-chili dressing and tossed with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and mint. It has a romantic history - King Rama II praised this dish in one of his most famous poems in the early 1800s. Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main. About 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients

Serves 4

The Salad

As needed vegetable oil
250 g beef tenderloin (or another tender cut of steak)
3 Tbsp lime juice
5 cm lemongrass, bottom half only, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp shallots, thinly julienned
60 ml mint leaves, chopped
2-3 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly julienned
5 sprigs cilantro, leaves chopped, stems reserved for the dressing
2 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)(see notes)
For garnish: spur chili (or red bell pepper), short juliennes
For garnish: small mint leaves
For serving: crisp lettuce leaves

The Dressing

3-4 cloves garlic
1-3 fresh Thai chilies
5 cilantro stems, chopped
2 tsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
2 Tbsp fish sauce

Directions

Rub the steak with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Heat a little oil in a saute pan over high heat until very hot. Sear the steak for 20-30 seconds per side until well browned. Use tongs to briefly sear the edges as well. Set aside to rest for at least 5 minutes while you make the dressing.

For the dressing, pound the garlic, Thai chilies, and cilantro stems together in a mortar and pestle until there are no chunks left. Add the palm sugar and pound to dissolve, then add the fish sauce and swirl the pestle to mix. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, finely mince all the ingredients and stir together.

Slice the rested beef into very thin, bite-sized strips and transfer to a mixing bowl. Pour the lime juice over the beef and toss well. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes - the acid will partially cook the meat.

Pour the dressing over the beef and toss. Add the lemongrass, shallots, chopped mint, half the kaffir lime leaves, and half the cilantro leaves. Toss again and taste for seasoning.

Spread the beef in a single layer on a serving plate. Scatter the pumpkin seeds, julienned peppers, small mint leaves, and the remaining kaffir lime leaves and cilantro on top. Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping, on its own as an appetizer, or with jasmine rice as part of a meal.

Notes

The dressing and seared beef can be prepared in advance and assembled just before serving.
The toasted pumpkin seeds add nuttiness and crunch. Peanuts, cashews, macadamias, or pine nuts all work as substitutes.