Thai-me Kangaroo Down Salad

What’s on your Australia Day (or should that be Invasion Day) menu ? Weird isn’t it, how we still shy away from using native Australian ingredients?
Here we live on a continent which offers up to 4,000 different varieties of edible bush foods, yet how many of them do we use in our cooking?
Instead of flinging beef and lamb on the barbie this Australia Day, try this zingy fresh salad which combines Thai flavours with delicious barbecued ‘roo.

Inroduction

About this Recipe

By: Sheridan Rogers

What’s on your Australia Day (or should that be Invsion Day) menu? Weird isn’t it, how we still shy away from using native Australian ingredients?
Here we live on a continent which offers up to 4,000 different varieties of edible bush foods, yet how many of them do we use in our cooking?
Instead of flinging beef and lamb on the barbie this Australia Day, try this zingy fresh salad which combines Thai flavours with delicious barbecued ‘roo.

Ingredients

Serves 2

  • kangaroo fillet or steak 200g
  • garlic 1 clove, crushed
  • 1/2 fresh lime juice of
  • Thai fish sauce 2 tablespoons
  • light soy sauce 1 tablespoon
  • vegetable oil 1 teaspoon
  • medium red chilli 1, finely chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t like the heat)
  • caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon
  • kaffir lime leaf 1, very finely sliced

Salad:

  • mixed baby lettuce leaves 100g, washed and dried
  • grape or cherry tomatoes 6 -8, sliced in half lengthways
  • lebanese cucumber, skin on sliced into long thin strips
  • radish 1, finely sliced
  • celery 1 small stalk, finely sliced
  • mixed herb leaves 1/2 cup (coriander, basil, mint)

Prepare the marinade: combine the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce,  soy sauce and oil.
Place half the mixture in a shallow dish and add the kangaroo fillet or steak. Leave to marinate 30 minutes, turning occasionally (this step can be done ahead and left overnight in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap).
Prepare the dressing: in a separate bowl, add the chilli, sugar and kaffir lime leaf. Mix well to combine and set aside.
Pre-heat the BBQ, or use a char-grill pan.  Barbecue the kangaroo meat over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes each side (it is best served rare-medium rare).
Remove from the heat and keep in a warm place to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Arrange the salad leaves, herbs and salad ingredients on serving plates.
Thinly slice the ‘roo and place over the salad.  Drizzle with the dressing.