This Crying Tiger Steak recipe, also known as Suea rong hai, is easy with a quick marinade and a sweet and spicy Thai relish on top for a delicious steak meal!
Yum, yum, yum. Steak, steak, steak.
That about sums this up! Remember how I told you that the Sweet and Spicy Thai Relish could go with anything? Well, here’s a wonderful example for you.
This is a pretty basic steak recipe, but it’s marinated in savory fish sauce and sweet lime juice for a quick 45 minutes (yahoo, no overnight marinating!) which makes it incredibly tender and delectable.
Topping it with the charred tomatoes and peppers in the Thai Relish just really sends it over the moon.
I served mine with what I call “skinny peanut ‘noodles'” – it’s basically a bag of broccoli slaw stir-fried with peanut butter, fish sauce, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar, then topped with cilantro and a few chopped peanuts. So easy, light, and delicious.
So, where does the name Crying Tiger come from anyway? Aren’t you just a bit curious?
Well, I was and here is what I learned.
There are a couple of legends of how this dish got its name.
I think the best one is a story of a hungry tiger that came out of the jungle and stole cow from a village. The tiger ate most of the cow and got so full that it almost couldn’t eat anymore. So, only the brisket was left. The tiger then tried to eat the brisket. When it tasted the brisket it found that this was an extraordinary part of the meat which was tender and juicy. However, it was too full to finish the meat. Then the tiger felt sad and started to cry.
The other legend is that the fat marbles in beef brisket look like tiger stripes. Therefore, when the brisket was on hot grill, the oil from the fat dripped down the grill and looked like tears. So, it seemed like the tiger was crying.
So, now you know.
Here’s the Crying Tiger Steak Recipe!
Crying Tiger Steak Recipe (Suea rong hai)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 tsp. palm or brown sugar
- Juice of one lime
- 1 lb. boneless beef steak - such as rib eye, strip, or flank steak
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the steak and set aside for 30-45 minutes, turning occasionally.
- Meanwhile, set your grill to high heat (or use your oven at 450 degrees). Once hot, grill 4-5 minutes per side, or until it is caramelized, brown, and done to your liking. If preparing in the oven, cook in a lightly greased roasting rack over a drip pan.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, then carve against the grain into thick strips. Serve with Sweet and Spicy Thai Relish.
Recipe Adapted from Nancie McDermott’s Quick & Easy Thai
Just earlier today I was working on an article where I talked about crying tiger. It is one of may favorite dishes. But it’s crazy that I’ve never tried to make it! This recipe sounds delicious! I love the use of the Thai relish.