Dressing:

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
• 1 1/2 TBS brown sugar
• 1 TBS grated and peeled fresh ginger
• 1 TBS fish sauce
• 1 to 2 tsp. chile paste
• 3 cloves minced garlic

Steak:

• Cooking spray
• 1 (1 1/2 pound) flank steak, trimmed
• 1 TBS freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 3 cups trimmed watercress (about 2 bunches)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots
• 2 TBS finely chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (optional)

For the dressing:

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, fish sauce, chile paste and garlic stirring well with a whisk.

For the steak:

Over medium high heat, heat a large non-stick skillet or a grill pan coated with cooking spray. Rub both sides of the steak with pepper. Add steak to pan and cook six minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan, cover loosely with foil and let stand five minutes to cool. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Place steak in a bowl. Drizzle with half of the dressing and toss well.

For the salad:

In a large bowl, combine watercress, red cabbage, basil, mint, cilantro and carrots. Drizzle with remaining dressing and toss well. Divide salad evenly among six plates; arrange steak evenly over salad and serve. (Optional: Before serving, sprinkle each serving with a teaspoon of peanuts.)