Nam Tok (Thai Waterfall Beef Salad)

Nam Tok (น้ำตกเนื้อ) — Thai waterfall beef salad. The name comes from the way the meat juices "fall" into the dressing, creating a rich, saucy lacquer that coats every bite.

Grilled beef — usually sirloin or ribeye — is sliced thin against the grain, then tossed with lime juice, fish sauce, roasted rice powder, chili flakes, shallots, cilantro, and mint. The dressing is aggressive: sour, salty, spicy, with the beef fat carrying it all.

Served over lettuce with cucumber and fresh herbs on the side. The dark bowl, the red chilies, the bright green mint — this is one of those dishes that looks as good as it tastes.