Since his fiancée Deana Saukam's father has diabetes, Top Chef Season 9 winner Paul Qui came up with this sugarless version of nuoc cham, the classic Vietnamese dipping sauce. Coconut water replaces the sugar; shallot, garlic and jalapeño add bold flavor. Slideshow: Great Salads with Meat
How to Make It
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and let stand for 15 minutes.
Rub the steak all over with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a small cast-iron skillet until very hot. Add the steak and cook over moderately high heat for 2 minutes, until browned and crusty. Add the butter, garlic and thyme to the skillet and spoon the melted butter over the steak. Flip the steak and cook for 2 minutes longer, spooning the butter on top. Add the Maggi seasoning, cover and let stand off the heat for 2 minutes. Transfer the steak to a paper towel–lined work surface, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
Thinly slice the steak and place in a large serving bowl. Add the baby kale, sliced onion, cucumber, tomato and nuoc cham dressing, toss the salad well and serve.
Make Ahead
The nuoc cham dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.