We all love butter-basted steak. But have you ever had crying tiger butter-basted steak?! Crying tiger is traditionally a Thai dish of grilled beef with a spicy, tangy dipping sauce but in the most delicious twist, I’ve turned that sauce into a herby, punchy, fragrant butter. This butter is used both to baste the steak and then again to serve. A must-try for your next steak night.
2 x 200g (7 oz) rib eye/rib fillet steaks (or any other steak cut you prefer)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
blanched green beans, to serve
mashed potato, to serve
Crying tiger butter
2 tsp raw glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice)
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 small red shallot, sliced into fine wedges
2 tsp finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
250g (9 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- Take the steaks out of the fridge an hour before you want to cook them. Season generously with salt and allow to sit at room temperature for an hour.
- For the crying tiger butter, toast the rice in a dry frying pan over high heat until golden brown and fragrant (it should smell like popcorn). Use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to grind to a fine powder. In a bowl, combine the tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chilli flakes and toasted rice powder. Mix until well combined. Then stir through the shallot and coriander. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and mix until well combined. Transfer the butter to a sheet of cling film and wrap up tightly into a log shape. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes or until firm.
- Heat a large heavy-based frying pan (I prefer carbon steel ) over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Pat dry the steaks with paper towel before adding them into the pan. Allow to sear for 2 minutes on the first side. Then flip and sear for another 2 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium and add 2 thick slices (about 1 cm each) of the crying tiger butter. Baste the steaks with the butter for a further 1 minute each side. Transfer the steaks to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve with mashed potato, green beans, little dollops of extra cold butter and any remaining juices/warm butter from the pan.
- Notes: You’ll have more butter than you need for this recipe. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can cut slices from the frozen block and use them as you need.
