Salad of Spiced Lamb, Rice Vermicelli, Coriander and Holy Basil

Ingredients

• 8 six-ounce lamb medallions
• 5 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coarsely grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon coarsely grated galangal
• 1 bird’s-eye chili (tiny, very hot chile), seeded and chopped
• ½ green pepper, seeded and cut in chunks
• ⅓ cup palm sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• Dressing (recipe follows)
• Salad (recipe follows)

8 servings

Preparation

1. Ask the butcher to make lamb medallions from a boneless leg of lamb; separate top round, the tip and bottom round, and trim the fat and cut medallions from each part.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor, and puree.
3. Preheat the broiler. Coat one side of each medallion with some of the puree. Broil medallions for 10 minutes. Turn and coat with more of the puree, reserving the remainder, and continue broiling until medallions are medium rare, about 5 minutes, or to your taste.
4. Cut lamb into 1/4-inch-wide strips; mix with salad and dressing.

• If you prefer, you can leave medallions whole; quickly boil the leftover puree and pour it over the medallions, serving salad on the side.

1 hour