Thai-Braised Beef Shanks and Fresh Pickled Vegetable Salad

Ingredients

• 2 to 2-1/2 pounds beef Shank Cross Cuts, 1-1/2 inches thick
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 stalks lemon grass, white part only, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Vegetable Salad:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 5 thin slices fresh ginger
• 2 pieces (2 inches each) lemon grass, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 8 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 1 cup thinly sliced fresh carrots (2 x 1/8 x 1/8-inch)
• 1 cup thinly sliced green or yellow bell peppers

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 cup fried shallots (optional)