Ingredients
- 400g beef fillet, trimmed
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Vegetable oil
- ½ firm green paw paw, peeled and seeded
- 1 handful bean shoots
- 1 handful mint leaves, washed
- 1 handful coriander leaves, washed
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup palm sugar
- 3 medium red chillies, roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓cup lime juice
- ¼ cup fish sauce
Method
Note: Green paw paw are sold at Asian grocers. Their flavour is completely different from ripe paw paw. The firmer they feel, the better. Green mangoes can be used as a substitute if paw paws aren't available.
Pre-heat oven to 180C. Season the beef fillet with salt and pepper. Rub with a little oil. Sear well on all sides on a hot barbecue or very hot pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes. Remove and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
Slice the paw paw thinly on a vegetable slicer (mandolin) and then slice into thin strips. You can also grate the paw paw if you prefer but it's important it's as fine as possible. Place in a bowl with the bean shoots, mint, coriander, peanuts and coconut. To make the dressing, put palm sugar and chillies in a mortar and pestle and pound together to break up the chillies.
Add the garlic and squash once. Stir through lime juice and fish sauce. Remove garlic. Thinly slice beef and toss through salad with the dressing.
