Name: Nue Nam Tok- Thai Beef Waterfall Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 12 oz Steak (I used Sirloin); 1 Tbsp Toasted Rice Powder (Use Thai Sticky/Sweet/Glutinous Rice); 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (Have more on hand if needed); 1 Lime (Have more on hand if needed); 1 Tbsp Ground Thai Chili's (Can sub red pepper flakes, and use more or less depending on your spice tolerance.); ¼ Red Onion (Sliced thin); 1 Stalk Green Onion (Chopped); 2 Tbsp Cilantro (Chopped fine, leaves and stems); 2 Tbsp Mint Leaves (Left whole)

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A Thai grilled steak salad that’s fresh with lots of herbs and lime juice.

Wide angled shot of Thai Beef Salad on a white plate.

Nue Nam Tok is very similar to Larb, but instead of minced meat the steak or pork is grilled and then sliced. The dish is also similar to Crying Tiger. All three of these dishes use toasted rice powder, which can easily be made at home. The video below will show you exactly how to make the Nam Tok and the toasted rice powder.

Overhead view of Beef Salad on a white plate garnished with lettuce, cucumbers, cilantro, and mint.

Growing up I’ve always known this dish as Nam Tok, which translates to ‘Waterfall’ in Thai. Nue, means Beef. So when someone asked me if I knew how to make Thai Waterfall Salad, I kinda gave them a funny look, because I had never heard that way. Right away, I said ‘No’. Then once they described the dish, the light bulb went off in my head.

Ohhhhh!! Yes, I know how to make that! It was a lot funnier in my head 🙂

Any type of Northern Thai salad like Larb or Nam Tok are best served with sticky rice. It was always a challenge to make sticky rice, because the steamer basket is big and bulky, and it doesn’t work on my induction stove. So I would have to pull out my portable burner, but it would take forever to bring the water to a boil. But now I’ve learned a super easy method to make sticky rice using a regular pan and splatter guard. It was pretty life changing! I will have a post and video for you here.

Close up of dish with a gold fork and spoon in the back.

This salad is so fresh, vibrant, and filling. It’s perfect for grilling season!

(Video) How to Make Nue Nam Tok:

Products Used:

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Nue Nam Tok- Thai Beef Waterfall Salad

A Grilled Beef salad with fresh herbs and lime juice.

Keyword Nue Nam Tok

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Servings 2

Author Renee Fuentes

Ingredients

12 oz Steak I used Sirloin
1 Tbsp Toasted Rice Powder Use Thai Sticky/Sweet/Glutinous Rice
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce Have more on hand if needed
1 Lime Have more on hand if needed
1 Tbsp Ground Thai Chili's Can sub red pepper flakes, and use more or less depending on your spice tolerance.
¼ Red Onion Sliced thin
1 Stalk Green Onion Chopped
2 Tbsp Cilantro Chopped fine, leaves and stems
2 Tbsp Mint Leaves Left whole

Instructions

Grill steak or cook on cast iron on the stove. Depending on the steak thickness, I recommend 4 minutes on each side for Medium. The lime juice will cook the steak more, so medium is preferred.
Toast rice grains in a skillet then grind in a spice grinder or blender till a fine powder forms.
Once steak is cooked, allow to rest for 10 minutes then slice thin.
In a bowl mix sliced steak with rice powder, fish sauce, lime juice, chili powder, red onion, green onion, cilantro, and mint leaves. Taste and add additional fish sauce or lime juice if needed.

Recipe Notes

You can use a cheaper cut of steak link flank, just be sure to cut thin and against the grain. Toasted rice powder can also be purchased instead of homemade. Linked above.