Description
Crying Tiger Beef is a Thai classic featuring juicy, marinated beef steak grilled to perfection and served with the vibrant, punchy Nam Jim Jaew dipping sauce. This dish combines smoky, tender meat with sour, spicy, and umami flavors for an unforgettable meal that’s both simple and loaded with character.
Ingredients
Crying Tiger Beef
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 8 grams garlic, grated
- 8 grams ginger, grated
- 400 grams beef steak (no more than 1-inch thick)
- White pepper, to taste
Nam Jim Jaew (Thai Dipping Sauce)
- 12 grams glutinous rice
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon evaporated cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 10 grams cilantro or mint, chopped
- 10 grams scallion, chopped
- 16 grams shallot, minced (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Beef: In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, fish sauce, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Coat the beef steak thoroughly with the mixture, cover, and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes. If marinating longer in the fridge, bring it to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
- Prepare Toasted Rice: Toast glutinous rice in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking or tossing constantly until the rice is golden brown. Transfer to a mortar and grind into a coarse powder, or use a spice grinder after the rice cools down. Don’t grind too finely; the texture matters for the dipping sauce.
- Mix Nam Jim Jaew: In a bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, evaporated cane sugar, chili flakes, chopped cilantro/mint, chopped scallion, and minced shallot (if using). Add 2 teaspoons of the toasted rice powder and mix well until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Grill the Beef: Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, lay the steak diagonally on the grill at the 10 o’clock position. Cook until grill marks appear, about 1½ minutes. Rotate to the 2 o’clock position (without flipping) and press down on any unseared parts. After about 1 minute, flip the steak, repeating the grill marks steps; lower heat if necessary to avoid burning. Grilling a 1-inch steak to medium rare will take about 5 minutes.
- Rest and Slice: When the steak is cooked to your liking, transfer it to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice as thinly as possible against the grain with a sharp knife.
- Garnish and Finish: Grind white pepper over the beef to taste and sprinkle extra toasted rice powder if desired.
- Serve: Arrange sliced beef on a plate and serve with fresh vegetables (cucumber or cabbage) and the Nam Jim Jaew dipping sauce.
Notes
- Resting the steak after grilling helps lock in juices for a tender result.
- If you can’t find glutinous rice, substitute with regular white rice, though the flavor will be slightly different.
- Nam Jim Jaew can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days, but add fresh herbs just before serving.
- For a smoky flavor, grill the beef over charcoal if possible.
- This dish pairs well with sticky rice and fresh, crisp veggies for balance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 recipe (approx. 200g steak + sauce)
- Calories: 140kcal
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 2652mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
