Thai grilled beef salad (Yam nuea)

1. Bring the steak to room temperature, rub with oil and season with pepper.

2. Cook in a hot griddle pan for 3-4 minutes per side until medium (pink inside), then rest for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile mix the fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar for the dressing until the sugar dissolves, and stir in the thinly sliced chillies.

4. Cut the cucumber into half-moons, halve the cherry tomatoes, and very thinly slice the shallots and the soft part of the lemongrass.

5. Slice the steak thinly across the grain and put it in a bowl with its juices; add the vegetables and dressing and toss.

6. Mix in the mint and coriander leaves and serve immediately with rice.

Tip: All Thai "yam" salads are built on the same sweet-sour-salty-hot dressing. Resting the meat and slicing it across the grain keeps it tender – don't pour away the juices, they season the salad.