Highlight
Savor the zingy thrill of Crying Tiger Beef, drawn straight from northeast Thailand. Grilled juicy steak teams up with a hot-sour-spicy dipping sauce, Nam Jim Jaew, and gets a little nutty crunch from toasted rice on top. Every forkful pops with surprising flavors and crunchy edges—can’t get enough.
My first taste was late at night in a loud Thai street market. Hooked after one bite. It’s now my secret move for friends who want something bold and new.
Vibrant Ingredients
- Glutinous rice: Toast up quality sticky rice, then grind it for a nutty crunch
- Shallot: You can skip this, but it adds nice depth if you include it—pick small ones
- Oyster sauce: Swirl in a bit for richness, goes best with brands that look shiny and dark
- Lime juice: Grab heavy juicy limes—they perk up the sauce
- Cilantro or mint: For a burst of freshness, chop these last minute
- Scallion: Look for snappy, green stalks for a mellow onion note
- Evaporated cane sugar: Melts fast, smooths out the heat—regular sugar works too
- White pepper: Use just ground for floral, gentle heat
- Chili flakes: Adjust so it’s as hot as you like, Thai chili gives the best kick
- Garlic: Pick firm fresh cloves, grate for punchy flavor and aroma
- Tamarind paste: Look for seedless—it brings a tangy jolt to the sauce
- Ginger: Get a chunk with tight skin—it’ll add plenty of zip
- Fish sauce: Choose Thai or Vietnamese for the best salty-umami kick
- Beef steak: Choose a ribeye or sirloin, about an inch thick—look for plenty of marbling
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Finish and Serve:
- Top the steak with another hit of white pepper and extra rice powder. Serve it right away with cabbage or crunchy cucumber, and don’t forget plenty of Nam Jim Jaew to dip into.
- Rest and Slice the Steak:
- Give the steak ten minutes off the heat before you even cut it. Then slice across the grain, nice and thin, so every piece is soft and juicy.
- Grill the Steak:
- Heat your skillet or grill pan till it’s searing hot. Lay the steak diagonally to get snazzy lines. After a minute and a half, twist it (don’t flip) for those cross marks. Do the same with the other side. Turn down the heat if it browns too quick. Aim for medium rare—five minutes should do for a steak that’s an inch thick.
- Make the Nam Jim Jaew Sauce:
- Mix fish sauce, tamarind, lime juice, sugar, chili bits, fresh herbs, scallion, and shallot in a bowl. Toss in a couple teaspoons of your toasty rice powder. Stir til the sugar melts. Taste—fix spice and tang if you like.
- Grind the Toasted Rice:
- Add the cooled toasted rice into your grinder or start smashing with a pestle, but don't make it a fine powder—you want a gritty crunch in every bite.
- Toast the Rice:
- Dry-fry the sticky rice in a skillet at medium. Keep the rice moving until it turns gold and you smell that roasty aroma. It’ll only take a few minutes—watch it close!
- Marinate the Steak:
- Whisk ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, and fish sauce together. Spread all over the steak so it’s coated everywhere. Leave it for thirty minutes to soak up the flavors. If you’re marinating longer, pop it in the fridge, but bring it out to warm up before you cook so it grills evenly.
Highlight
This always takes me back to my first solo adventure in Thailand. That crunch from the toasted rice was such a surprise. I even packed some home to keep trying. The nutty bits leave a happy echo after the meal’s long gone.
Simple Storage Advice
Keep leftover steak in a tight container in your fridge and it’ll be good for three days. Stash the dipping sauce by itself too—it holds up just fine. Let everything warm to room temp before you eat for the best feel and flavor.
Smart Swaps
If glutinous rice isn’t easy to find, swap in any kind of short-grain rice, though it might taste a bit different. Plain sugar works instead of evaporated cane sugar. If beef’s not your thing, boneless pork or chicken thighs grill up just as tasty—just cook them a bit longer.
How to Serve
This goes insanely well scattered over fresh sticky rice or jasmine rice. Crisp cabbage or chilly cucumber also pair great with the juicy beef. Serving a crowd? Slice the steak, set out toothpicks, and put that zingy sauce on the table.
Culture Snapshot
This comes from Isan in northern Thailand, where grilling meat and dunking it in punchy sauces is the daily groove. The name is a playful nod to tigers who, legend says, shed tears when meat’s this good. Today, you’ll spot it everywhere, from street stalls to fancy dining spots.
Recipe FAQs
- → Which beef steak cut should I grab for this?
Go with ribeye or sirloin that's about an inch thick. They're juicy and cook up beautifully with a proper char.
- → What’s the point of toasted rice powder in the dipping sauce?
It gives the sauce a nutty kick and grainy bite that makes Nam Jim Jaew extra special.
- → How long do I let the steak hang out in the marinade?
At least half an hour gets the flavor in. If you leave it longer, the taste just gets deeper.
- → If I don’t have a grill, can I still cook the beef?
Sure thing—a cast iron pan on high heat works great and gives you those tasty charred edges.
- → Any ideas for veggies to serve with it?
Serve up cabbage, cool lettuce, or sliced cucumber. Crunchy sides like these balance out the spicy dip.