One of the most beautiful and romantic restaurants in the Abu Dhabi is Sontaya at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, with its location on the Arabian Gulf, glass walls and floating pavilions. Its food is also consistently delicious, raising the bar on Southeast Asian fusion. Recently, the restaurant’s Thai sous chef Narongrit Thongwiji taught a small group of foodies how to make the restaurant’s mouth-watering Yum Nua Yang Makhue Ord – aka Thai beef salad – and shared the recipe with livehealthy.ae.
The key is the ingredients, says Narongrit, especially the Thai basil the eatery imports from Thailand. “You can use regular basil,” he says, adding that although the dish will still be good, “it will be a different taste.”
INGREDIENTS
MARINADE
40 grams soy sauce
15 grams coriander root
10 grams garlic
5 grams black pepper
30 grams palm sugar
120 grams beef strip loin
SALAD
25 grams Asian mixed leaves
1 piece Thai eggplant chopped
10 grams red onion diced (save a small portion to add to the sauce)
25 grams ribboned cucumber
25 grams ribboned carrot
SAUCE
10 grams lemongrass
25 grams fish sauce
25 grams lime juice
25 grams thai chili paste
METHOD
- Mix the soy sauce, chopped coriander root, palm sugar and black pepper using a mortar and pestle.
- Marinate beef in mixture for 15 minutes.
- Grill beef to desired level.
- Arrange the beef and vegetables on a plate to your liking.
- Blend remaining ingredients in a blender and pour on to salad.
Featured photo: Ann Marie McQueen
