Cambodian Beef Salad

There are two types of Cambodian beef salad, and the first one is Pleah Sach Ko, which can be called Cambodian-style beef ceviche.

The main ingredient of this dish is tender raw beef cut thinly, combined with aromatic herbs and spices such as basil, kaffir lime leaves, and lemongrass. Highlight with aromatic dressing on the top.

Pleah Sach Ko is commonly served at weddings and other special occasions.

Main Ingredients

• Meat: Cambodian people use high-quality, fresh raw beef to make the dish as it’s safer and tastier than frozen meat. Beef is sliced thinly, then partly cooked by the acid in the marinade.
• Dressing: The marinade for the beef salad is a savory blend of various ingredients, including lime juice, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, and lemongrass. If you have a sweet tooth, you can also add sugar to the combination.
• Vegetables & herbs: There are many types of vegetables and herbs used in the dish, which increase the freshness, and get rid of the fatty taste of oily food. Aromatic herbs like galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves are minced into small pieces. Red onions are chopped thinly to mix with the beef.
• Garnishes: You can add crushed peanuts, mint leaves, and cilantro as the decorations for the dish.

Pleah Sach Ko

How To Cook

Firstly, after you are done slicing the beef into thin pieces, you will begin to make the marinade, which is the dressing for the meat.

Extract the juice of limes, blend with fish sauce and some sugar (if you love the sweet flavor), then add ground garlic, shallots, and lemongrass into the mixture.

Get the beef slices into the dish and mix them with cut vegetables and herbs. Add the dressing after that - it’s time to savor!

Tips:

• Putting the sliced beef into the fridge for around 1 hour before marinating it will give freshness to the dish.
• This raw beef salad should be enjoyed right after making it as it can be easily spoiled after a long time.
• If you prefer light spiciness, you can add fresh sliced red chili /chili powder to the marinade

Nhoam Sach Ko is the second type of beef salad in Cambodian cuisine. Unlike Pleah Sach Ko, this beef salad uses grilled beef instead of raw beef.

Featuring a slightly smoky scent of grilled meat, this Cambodian-style grilled beef salad will definitely make you love it on the first try!

Main Ingredients

• Meat: Besides slicing the beef, you have to marinate the meat and put it above the brazier to provide a smoky flavor to the meat.
• Dressing: For the marinade, grind the garlic, lemongrass, shallots, basil leaves, then blend them with fish sauce and lime juice. Add some spoons of sugar for a light sweet taste and mix well.
• Vegetables & Herbs: Aromatic ingredients are used in the dish, consisting of bean sprouts, mint leaves, and some green lettuce leaves.
• Garnishes: Like Pleah Sach Ko, you can add some crushed peanuts on top of the salad.

Nhoam Sach Ko

How To Cook

Beef is cut into thin slides, which will be grilled in a charcoal brazier for 1 - 2 mins.

Extract lime juice and put the juice and fish sauce into a bowl, then make the dressing by combining ground garlic, lemongrass, shallots, and basil together. You can mix the blend with sugar and chili, depending on your preference.

Place the grilled beef slices and vegetables into the dish, and add the marinade above. Sprinkle over the grilled beef salad with some roasted peanuts as a finishing step.

Featuring an irresistible flavorful taste and positive impacts on your health, Cambodian beef salad becomes a must-try dish for every foreign gourmet who travels to the country.

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(Image source: Internet)