Description
Crying Tiger Beef with Nam Jim Jaew is a flavorful Thai grilled steak dish featuring tender marinated flank steak or ribeye paired with a tangy, spicy dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, tamarind, and toasted rice powder. The beef is marinated to enhance its umami depth, grilled to perfection, sliced thin against the grain, and served with the zesty Nam Jim Jaew sauce, perfect alongside sticky rice or grilled vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 1 pound flank steak or ribeye
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Nam Jim Jaew (Dipping Sauce)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes (adjust for spice level)
- 1 tablespoon toasted rice powder (khao khua)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
Instructions
- Marinate the Beef: In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and vegetable oil. Coat the steak evenly with this marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
- Prepare Nam Jim Jaew (Dipping Sauce): In a small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, sugar, and chili flakes. Stir in the toasted rice powder, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and chopped green onion. Adjust the seasoning according to taste to balance salty, sour, spicy, and sweet notes.
- Grill the Beef: Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the marinated steak for 4-5 minutes on each side to achieve medium-rare doneness, or adjust grilling time to your preferred level. Once cooked, remove the steak from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Serve & Enjoy: Slice the rested beef thinly against the grain to ensure tenderness. Arrange the slices on a serving plate and provide the Nam Jim Jaew dipping sauce on the side. This dish pairs wonderfully with sticky rice, grilled vegetables, or a fresh Thai salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- For best flavor, marinate the beef overnight if possible.
- Adjust chili flakes in the dipping sauce to suit your preferred spice level.
- To toast rice powder at home, dry fry uncooked sticky rice in a pan over medium heat until golden and grind it into powder.
- Use flank steak or ribeye for tender and flavorful results.
- Resting the meat after grilling is essential to keep it juicy.
- Nam Jim Jaew can be prepared in advance and refrigerated to let flavors meld.
