Beef Satay with Mango Mint Salad

I love refreshing, tangy, crunchy mango salad. This version was taught to me during a recent mother-daughter Thai cooking lesson at the Calphalon Culinary Center in Toronto. It's an easy summer-time (or any-time) dinner salad. It's also great for guests as the salad can be assembled and the satays marinated and skewered the day before, (just make sure to keep the salad dressing separate and add just before serving). Just grill the satay and you're ready to relax!

You are welcome substitute lamb/chicken/shrimp/scallops etc. for the beef. Don't worry if you don't have all of the ingredients for the salad, just combine what you have on hand and don't stress. You can substitute green apples or papaya for the mango if you like.

This recipe is fantastic served with an ice cold Hoegaarden.
serves 4

Beef Satay:
1 lb beef sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 16 even strips
3 cloves garlic
1 2" piece lemongrass, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro/mint, chopped fine
1 t cracked black pepper
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 T brown sugar or honey
1 T soy sauce
juice of 1 lime/ 1 T tamarind pulp
1 T sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil

combine ingredients, marinate beef for at least 15 minutes or overnight. skewer onto soaked wooden skewers and grill (1-2 minutes per side) over med-high heat.


Mango Mint Salad

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
1 T sesame oil
2 T vegetable oil
2 T soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
juice and zest from 2 limes
2 T mint/cilantro

Salad:
1 Mango, peeled, pit removed, julienne
1/8 Napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup carrot, peeled and julienne (or shred)
1/2 cup English cucumber, seeded, julienne
1/2 daikon radish, peeled, julienne (optional)
1/2 cup red onion, julienne
2 T basil/mint leaves, chiffonade
2 T peanuts, roasted and chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette and set aside. Mix together all salad ingredients. Toss with as much vinaigrette as you like. Serve with satay.