Thai Grilled Steak with Crying Tiger Sauce

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Barbecuing is practically my family’s love language. It’s not summer without skirt steak on the grill and a hefty bowl of crying tiger sauce (known in Thailand as nam jim jeaw).

When my grandparents first immigrated from Thailand to the United States, they lived near a bus stop in Maryland and spent much of the summer grilling outdoors when they weren’t working. My grandmother loves to tell the story of how other Thai immigrants in the area would catch the aroma of fish sauce and lemongrass drifting through the air and follow it to their front yard. Many of the friendships they built in those early years started around that grill.

When grilled, the flank steak develops a warm, charred crust that pairs perfectly with the bold, salty-sweet-sour-spicy flavors of crying tiger sauce. It’s the kind of sauce that instantly makes anything it touches delicious, and once you try it, you’ll see how it made my grandparents so many friends.

Ingredients

2 pounds flank steak
1 tablespoon fish sauce 
1/4 cup uncooked jasmine rice
Cooking spray
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
1/2 medium shallot, thinly sliced (1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1 1/2 medium limes)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon toasted rice powder (see Step 2)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving 
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Marinate the steak and make the toasted rice powder:
Pat 2 pounds flank steak dry with paper towels. Place in a bowl or shallow dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and massage it in with your hands. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, toast 1/4 cup uncooked jasmine rice in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then process into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or mini food processor. 
Make the sauce:
Stir 2 thinly sliced medium scallions, 1/2 thinly sliced medium shallot, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted rice powder, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder together in a medium bowl.
Make the steak:
Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. 
Option 1: Broiling. Arrange an oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler element, then heat the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Fit a wire rack onto the baking sheet, then coat the rack with cooking spray. Place the steak on the rack and broil until browned, 4 to 8 minutes per side. 
Option 2: Outdoor grilling. Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high, direct heat. Scrape the grill grates clean if needed. Place the steak on the grill. Cover and grill until an instant-reader thermometer registers about 140ºF for medium, 3 to 6 minutes per side for medium.
Transfer the steak to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve the steak with the sauce, cooked jasmine rice, and lime wedges