Ingredients

• 1 lemongrass stalk
• roughly chopped
• 20g/¾oz coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 star anise
• 3 cardamom pods
• crushed and seeds removed
• 50g/1¾oz coconut cream
• 1½ large onions
• sliced
• 3 garlic cloves
• chopped
• 3 red chillies
• seeds removed
• chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
• 250ml/9fl oz strong veal or beef stock
• heated
• 1 tbsp oil
• for frying the steaks
• 4 x 200g/7oz sirloin steaks
• ¼ red cabbage
• thinly sliced
• 100g/3½oz Asian greens
• thinly sliced
• ¼ hispi cabbage
• thinly sliced
• 1 bok choi
• thinly sliced
• ¼ coconut
• grated
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp Thai basil
• 4 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 limes
• juice only
• 4 garlic cloves
• crushed
• 2 tbsp finely grated fresh root ginger
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 red chilli
• finely sliced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp fresh Thai basil
• ¼ coconut
• shaved
• to garnish

Directions

• For the sauce
• pound the lemongrass to a pulp in a pestle and mortar.
• Gently toast the coriander seeds
• cumin seeds
• turmeric
• star anise and cardamom in a dry frying pan until fragrant
• then grind until the spices are as smooth as possible.
• In a wide pan or wok
• melt the coconut cream over a low heat. Add the onions
• garlic
• chillies
• ginger and pounded lemongrass and cook gently until the onions have softened. Add the ground spices and the bay leaf and fry for a few minutes more until the mixture is really bursting with aroma. Add the coconut milk
• bring to the boil and then add the hot stock. Turn the heat up to high and continue cooking - the amount of liquid will quickly reduce. Only stir occasionally until the sauce reduces to a thick paste.
• Rub a little oil on the steaks. Heat a heavy based frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat. When hot
• add the steaks and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side depending on the thickness.
• For the Asian slaw
• put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
• Put all the ingredients for the dressing into a pestle and mortar and pound to a rough paste. Just before serving
• add the dressing to the salad and mix well.
• To serve
• cut the steak into slices and place on serving plates. Pour over the rending sauce. Serve the slaw on the side. Garnish with coconut shavings.