Goi Xoai Voi Bo (Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef)

For Dressing: Crush chilies, garlic, and sugar together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in fish sauce, lime juice and pulp, and 1 1/2 Tb. water, and set dressing aside.

For Salad: Cut one of the shallots in half crosswise. Finely chop one of the halves, transfer to a shallow medium dish, and set aside. Thinly slice remaining shallots crosswise, spread out on paper towels, and let air dry for 30 minutes.

Combine sliced shallots and oil in a heavy skillet and bring oil to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook shallots, stirring occasionally with a slotted metal spoon, until light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Careful not to burn!

Transfer the shallots to a paper towel to let drain and cool. Save cooking oil for another use, if desired, or discard.

Add lemongrass, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar to dish with chopped shallots and stir until sugar dissolves. Add beef, mix until well coated, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill. Grill beef over medium-hot heat, turning only once, until just cooked through, about one minute per side.

Transfer grilled meat to a large bowl. Add mangoes and dressing and toss gently. Add cilantro, basil, peanuts, and fried shallots and toss gently again. Adjust seasonings and serve.

Judy's Notes: This is an unbelievably delicious dish. I get unripe/green (what is often called raw by South Asians when describing the item in English) mangoes at Indian grocery stores. I use them for making great [uncooked] chutney, too.

You could do step two (frying shallots) well in advance, and you can also buy fried shallots or onions at Asian stores and just keep them handy for this and other Asian dishes. I often make a little extra dressing.