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Vietnamese Watercress Salad with Beef (Xa Lach Xoong Bo)

Vietnamese Watercress Salad with Beef (Xa Lach Xoong Bo)

Xa lach xoong bo — hot seared beef over crisp watercress with a lime-fish sauce dressing.
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Servings: 4
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb (450 g) top sirloin or flank steak, sliced thin against the grain (about 1/4 inch)
  • 2 bundles watercress (about 8 oz / 225 g), thick stems trimmed, washed very well and dried
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (soaking 10 minutes in cold water then draining takes the raw edge off — optional)
  • 2 roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil, plus more for searing
  • 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts (optional garnish)
  • 2 tbsp fried shallots (optional garnish)
Beef marinade
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
Dressing (lime-fish sauce vinaigrette)
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Thai chile, sliced (optional)

Method
 

  1. Prep the greens. Trim the watercress, wash thoroughly in several changes of water, and dry well — a salad spinner earns its keep here. Wet greens dilute the dressing. Use cultivated, food-grade watercress from a grocery store or market , not foraged. Arrange the watercress, red onion, and tomatoes on a serving platter.
  2. Marinate the beef. Slice the steak thin against the grain (about 1/4 inch). Toss with all marinade ingredients and let sit 20 minutes at room temperature while you prep everything else.
  3. Whisk the dressing. Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the garlic and chile. Taste — it should be bright and balanced, not harsh.
  4. Sear the beef. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat with a thin film of oil until it just starts to smoke. Lay the beef in a single layer and cook about 2 minutes total, tossing once, until browned with no raw pink inside. Do not overcook — thin slices go from perfect to tough fast.
  5. Check doneness. Thin slices at a hard sear reach 145°F (63°C) quickly (FoodSafety.gov safe minimum for beef) — spot-check with a thermometer.
  6. Assemble immediately. Pour the hot beef and all its pan juices straight over the watercress. Drizzle with the dressing, scatter the peanuts and fried shallots if using, and serve right away.