Ingredients

• 1 lemongrass stalks
• roughly chopped
• 20g/¾oz coriander seeds
• ½tsp cumin seeds
• ½tsp turmeric powder
• 50g/2oz block coconut cream
• 1½ large onions
• sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• chopped
• 3 red chillies
• seeds removed
• chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger
• peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 750g/1lb 10oz boneless beef shin
• cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
• 400g/14oz canned coconut milk
• 250ml/8¾fl oz strong veal or beef stock
• heated
• 110g/4oz Chinese cabbage
• shredded
• 2 lime leaves
• sliced into thin strips
• 2 red chillies
• seeds removed
• sliced into thin strips
• 25g/1oz pea shoots
• 50g/2oz mizuna leaves
• small handful mint leaves
• 1 spring onion
• sliced diagonally
• 50g/2oz green beans
• cut into 2cm/1in pieces
• small handful fresh coriander leaves
• small handfulfresh Thai basil leaves (or normal basil leaves)
• small handful bean sprouts
• 1 lime
• juice only
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 red chilli
• finely diced
• 1 garlic clove
• finely sliced
• 200g/7oz Thai jasmine rice
• 200g/7oz Thai sticky rice
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

• For the beef rending
• pound the lemongrass to a pulp using a pestle and mortar. Tip the lemongrass into a small bowl.
• Heat the frying pan over a medium heat. Add the coriander
• cumin seeds and turmeric and dry fry until fragrant. Tip the spices into a spice grinder or the pestle and mortar. Grind the spices to a powder if using a grinder
• or pound in a pestle and mortar until the spices are as smooth as possible. Set aside.
• In a wide pan or cast-iron wok
• heat the block of coconut cream until it melts
• keeping the heat low so that it does not burn.
• Add the onions
• garlic
• chillies
• ginger and pounded lemongrass to the pan and cook gently until the onions have softened and the mixture is fragrant.
• Add the reserved ground spices and the bay leaf and fry for a few minutes more.
• Add the meat and increase the heat so that it browns on all sides. Stir until the meat is completely coated with the spices - this will take a few minutes.
• Add the coconut milk
• bring to the boil
• then add the hot stock.
• Turn the heat up to high and continue cooking for at least 1- 1½ hours
• stirring occasionally until the sauce becomes thick and coats the meat well.
• For the salad
• combine all the salad ingredients in a salad bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• For the dressing
• whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
• For the sticky rice
• tip the rice into a sieve and wash the two varieties of rice three times
• draining each time.
• Place the rice into a saucepan and cover with water to leave 1cm/½in water above the level of the rice. Add the salt and cover with a lid. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil.
• Boil the rice for five minutes
• then
• without removing the lid
• turn the heat off and leave to steam for 20 minutes.
• To serve
• pour the dressing into the salad and mix to combine. Pile the rice onto four plates and spoon the beef rending alongside. Serve the salad separately.