Whether you’re looking for something fresh or new to try cooking up on the grill, the Thai Grilled Beef & Eggplant Salad is the perfect recipe for just that! With mild flavors from the eggplant, the grilled beef truly stands out with the slightly hot marinade and salad dressing. Enjoy a juicy steak sliced up and mixed in with some refreshing grilled eggplant and spices!
Recipe
Course: Entree
Ingredients:
2 pound flank steak
4 Japanese eggplants (2 pounds total)
2 medium green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
For the marinade:
⅓ cup fresh Mexican lime juice
2-3 hot red or green Thai chiles, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic, grated on microplane
12 yellow, orange & red mini peppers seeded & cut into rounds
Instructions:
Cut the eggplants into half-inch planks and lay the pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with up to 1 tablespoon of salt and let the eggplant stand for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, wipe off salt and pat them dry.
Prep the grill to heat up for at least 20 minutes on high before grilling.
Whisk the marinade together by combining the lime juice, chiles, sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, fresh garlic, and mini peppers all into a large bowl. Taste and alter as needed.
Trim the steak of any excess fat and then transfer to a plate and drizzle on 2 teaspoons of the leftover sauce, flipping the steak over on the plate several times to completely coat. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Grill eggplant and steak. Put the eggplant on the grill first and cook on both sides for 5 minutes per side and until charred. Once the eggplant has been set to the side, place the steak on the grill and cook for 5-6 minutes, rotating the meat slightly halfway through and cooking that side until beads of moisture appear on the outer edges of the meat. Oil the flank steak one more time before flipping over and cooking the second side for about another 5 minutes.
Once the steak has reached an internal temperature at the center of 125 degrees Fahrenheit, take it off the grill and let it rest under a loosely constructed aluminum tent for 10 minutes or uncovered for 1 hour to cool. Slice the steak against the grain into quarter-inch thick pieces.
Toss the salad by combining together the sliced steak, chopped eggplants, thinly sliced green onions, and chopped cilantro.
Drizzle the remaining dressing over vegetables and toss to mix together. Adjust seasonings, sprinkle with peanuts, and serve!
