Thai Beef Salad

3cloves garlic finely chopped
4 coriander roots, finely chopped
½ tspn freshly ground black pepper
3 tblspn oil
400 g rump or sirloin steak
1 small soft leaf lettuce
200g cherry tomatoes
1 medium Lebanese cucumber
4 spring onion
½ cup fresh coriander leaves

Dressing
2 tblspns fish sauce
2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh chilli or chilli flakes
2 tsp soft brown sugar

Combine the garlic, coriander roots, black pepper and 2tblspns oil. Finely grind the mixture in a morter and pestle or blend it well in a food processor or blender. Spread the mixture evenly over the steak.
Heat the remaining oil in a heavy based pan or wok over high heat. Add the steak to the pan and cook for about 4mins each side, turning the steak once only during cooking. Remove the steak from the pan and allow to cool
Wash the lettuce and separate the leaves, cut the tomatoes in half, cut the cucumber into chunks and chop the spring onions
To make the dressing: Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, chilli and brown sugar in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar has dissolved
Cut the cooled steak into thin strips. Place the prepared lettuce on a serving plate and arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion and strips of steak over the top. Drizzle over the dressing and scatter over the coriander leaves, serve immediately.