THIS SALAD…guys, it’s a real good one. It’s fresh and crunchy, tangy and pungent, with a little bit of sweet-spiciness that plays so well with the savory steak. Plus, it speaks of my homeland! Always a bonus in the food department. I’ve used one of my favorite Korean flavors to mix up the dressing : Gochujang!
Gochujang is a chile paste made with fermented soy beans, glutinous rice powder, and red chiles. The result is a rich, spicy, salty, slightly sweet, pungent condiment that is a crazy flavor bomb. There really is nothing else like it and it’s an integral ingredient for the famous Korean dish, Bibimbap…making it much more than just a rice bowl. I have seen the suggestion that gochujang can be swapped out with sriracha…and while I love sriracha, that suggestion makes my heart cry. It’s just not even the same…AT ALL. I cannot stress this enough, it’s not a flavor easily replicated as it’s an aged, fermented product that has a level of funkiness only gained with time and fermentation. Anyway…if you can’t find gochujang (I suggest you get friendly with an Asian or Korean market — they’re like a pantry goods gold mine!), you could probably mix miso, sriracha, and some honey to get something close-ish. But, if you can find gochujang, get it! It will last in the refrigerator forever…like a year or more. It’s thick and a little goes a long way, I usually mix some with sesame oil, garlic, sesame seeds, green onion, a teeny bit of honey or maple, and some water to thin it, to top rice, eggs, vegetables, or really anything that needs a funky-spicy condiment.
Anyway, salad time!
The vinaigrette combines spicy, pungent gochujang with tangy rice wine vinegar, garlic, shallot, fresh ginger, and sesame oil. This dressing has some serious umami and face-punching flavor. It’s no wallflower of a vinaigrette and is the perfect thing to dress a pile of super crunchy, fresh vegetables.
I topped this salad with garlic and ginger rubbed steak. I like this method of a wet-paste kind of rub, I think the ginger and garlic really soaks into the meat, making it super flavorful yet still very beefy. Just a bit of steak goes a long way, it’s richness is addicting with the flavorful dressing and the fresh crunch of the slaw. I like mine topped with a little bit of roasted and seasoned seasweed, known as “gim” or “kim” in Korean or “nori” in Japanese. Sean kind of hates it and stares at me baffled when I eat it like chips…so, I left it off of his salad (more for me, yo!).
[recipe]
Asian Slaw Steak Salad
Serves 2-4
You can find Gochujang at any Korean grocery store, at well stocked pan-Asian markets, or even in the international aisle of some major grocery stores. It’s a great pantry staple and is fantastic on plain rice, eggs, or anything that needs a funky-spicy, asian kick. As mentioned above, I think that Gochujang is an irreplaceable flavor, but you can mix up something similar by stirring some miso paste with sriracha and a little honey or maple, to taste. I used a 10 ounce chuck steak for this, since it’s what was grass-fed and available at my market. This is fantastic with skirt steak (my original choice) as well, or really, whatever protein you prefer. An egg would be a killer addition.
for the vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Gochujang
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon minced shallot (or onion)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons flavorless oil (I used grape seed)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
for the steak:
steak (up to a pound)
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, grated
salt and pepper to taste
for the salad:
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
1/4 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1/3 cup sliced sugar peas or snow peas
sesame seeds and toasted seaweed for garnish (optional)
Make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a jar, shake to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Marinate the steak. Place the meat in a dish, mix the garlic and ginger together to make a paste, add a big pinch of salt and lots of black pepper. Spread the paste all over the meat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (to 2 hours). Remove from the refrigerator for 20 minutes before cooking, to bring to room temperature.
Heat a grill or grill pan to smoking hot, grill the steak on each side a few minutes to desired doness–my steak was about 3/4 inch thick, I did 5 minutes on one side, and then 3 ish on the other. We like our steaks rare-to-medium rare. Place the cooked steak on a plate, cover with foil, and rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Toss together all of the slaw ingredients (with or without dressing) and divide between bowls. Top slaw with steak, sesame seeds, and crumbled seaweed. Drizzle with additional dressing. [/recipe]
Tieghan
Oh my gosh, this sounds so good!! Wow! I love asian foods!
cindy
Thanks, Tieghan! I bet you’d be into it!
Megan
I need that gochujang in my life. I would hate to make your heart cry!
cindy
thanks for being so thoughtful, man!
Holly Turville
I’m heading to the Asian market today!
Nice to meet you, Gochujang!
cindy
YES! this makes my heart happy 🙂
Adrianna
Dude! That dressing looks amazing. Sweet, spicy and gingery. Yes!
cindy
all good things! thanks, girl!
Amy | Club Narwhal
Cindy, you’re killing me (in the best way possible)! I should know better than to read your blog a half hour before lunch… I have been eating crunchy Asian salad this entire summer and can’t wait to add this version into the mix. Especially since it has gochujang, a favorite condiment of mine.
cindy
haha, oh no!
Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
This looks totally worth the trek to an extra grocery store for Gochujang! I love, love, love this combination of flavors!
cindy
it is worth it AND it will last forever! thanks, Maggie!
Erika
I could crunch on this salad all day.. I need some Gochujang in my life.
cindy
yes! crunch forever!
Nicole
Ooo…yes! I do need to get friendly with an Asian market nearby! For real! This looks incredible and there is always room for one more funky-spicy condiment in my life.
cindy
there’s always more room!
Danguole
I’m on a big gochujang kick m’self! Delicious stuff, and way to shout out to your homeland.
I have a feeling I would put that vinaigrette on everything. Must make!
cindy
hell yes! it’s good stuff!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit
That crams it. I will get my hands on some gochujang come hell or high water. I have been searching for it for many moons, but it’s time to step up the search. Because I love steak salad. And I love chilli. And I love the funk.
cindy
YES!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough
Whooooaaaa mama… I don’t think I can wait until lunch to get the ingredients for this salad and make it. Second breakfast, it is! YUM 🙂
cindy
hey, I’m all for second breakfast!
Billy
That’s what the egg suggestion was for.
cindy
eggggs-actly!
laurasmess
I can’t believe this is my first visit to your blog, Cindy! It’s an amazing treasure trove of gorgeous photography, stunning recipes and inspiration! This salad looks divine. It’s really cold over here (in Australia) at the moment so I’ve mostly been creating hot comfort food, but this has inspired me to trek back into salad territory! Yum! Thanks lovely! xx
cindy
yay! thanks for visiting!
I am sure you’re as ready for spring as I am for fall!
Susana
Que maravilha, gosto tanto 🙂
Kiss, Susana
Nota: Ver o passatempo a decorrer no meu blog:
http://tertuliadasusy.blogspot.pt/2013/07/4-edicao-do-projeto-escolha-do.html
cindy
gracias, Susana!
Tracy | Peanut Butter and Onion
Great summer recipe!!!
cindy
Thanks, Tracy!!
Billy
You know I love a good punch to the face, Cindy. And the green and blue color scheme is fabulous.
cindy
I did think of you when I wrote that!
Sarah @ The Woks of Life
Gochujang is the BEST. I’m definitely bookmarking this recipe. And then I’m going to slink off and hide from my feelings of total inadequacy because these photos are amazing.
Laura Dembowski
This is the perfect summer dinner! The spicy dressing seems like the perfect complement to the rich steak and fresh salad. Peas are so yummy right now!
Kelly
Wow this salad looks amazing, what a great summer recipe! Loving your blog! 🙂
Nessa
This looks amazing!
cindy
Thank you!
Dustin
Was searching for a special salad for Christmas and followed you from firstsiteguide. Looks amazing and I am going to try it out with my friends this Christmas. Only thing Is that I will have to visit the market as I don’t have Gochujang handy. Wish I would have found the recipe before I could have ordered it online. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe Cindy.
Cindy
Hi Dustin! I hope you enjoy it (in a pinch you could use sriracha, it won’t be the same but it should work just fine)!