This Minted Tataki Beef with Shrimp is inspired by a Vietnamese Pork dish, but pairs Japanese Grilled Beef with Shrimp, Mint, and Fish Sauce.
The inspiration for this dish originally came from a Vietnamese recipe I came across for a salad of Pork and Shrimp. I ended up replacing the Pork with thin slices of Beef prepared using my Basic Beef Tataki Recipe, which, of course, uses a Japanese rather than a Vietnamese technique, and I have changed the dressing constituents considerably. Ultimately, the dish has travelled exceedingly far from its basic roots, but it still makes a great appetizer for two at any Asian or Western table.
The Method
First, make the dressing by mixing together the garlic, sugar, vinegar, chili, fish sauce, oil and pepper. You can do this step well in advance but a minimum of one hour is advised so that the flavors can meld. You can, if you want, add the mint at this time but doing it when you assemble the salad will help preserve some of the pretty green color as well as the earthiness of the fresh leaves.
Toss the cucumber slices with the salt and let them sit for a half hour or so until nicely wilted. Afterwards, rinse away all the excess salt and juices and the squeeze dry.
Finally, toss the shrimp, beef and cucumber together with the dressing (and the mint if you haven’t added it already). Let it sit for 20 minutes or so to blend the flavors and the serve either chilled or at room temperature on individual plates (the amounts here are really only enough for two).
Your Recipe Card:
Minted Tataki Beef with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. pre-grilled Beef Tataki cut across the grain into thin slices;
- 1/2 lb. small pre-cooked Shrimp;
- 1 – 2 Baby Cucumbers sliced cross-wise into thin rounds;
- ¼ cup shredded fresh Mint;
- ½ tsp. Garlic Puree;
- ½ sp. Sugar;
- 1 tsp. Rice Vinegar;
- 1 ½ tbsp.. minced green Chili I used Jalapeno;
- 1 tbsp. Fish Sauce;
- 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil.
- ½ tsp. Salt;
- 1 pinch White Pepper.
Instructions
- Mix together the garlic, sugar, vinegar, chili, fish sauce, oil and pepper. Set aside for a minimum of one hour to meld the flavors.
- Toss the cucumber slices with the salt and let them sit until wilted, then rinse away all the excess salt and juices and the squeeze dry.
- Toss the shrimp, beef and cucumber together with the dressing. Add the mint and let it all sit for 20 minutes or so to blend the flavors.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Notes: For the Beef, follow the Basic Beef Tataki Recipe