Crying Tiger Steak (Suea Rong Hai)
เสือร้องไห้ suea rong haiSay it: SUEH-ah rong HY
Crying tiger is a grilled beef dish from Isan, northeastern Thailand, now eaten across the country at cookouts and family meals. The steak is marinated in fish sauce, garlic and pepper, grilled over high heat until smoky and charred, then rested and sliced. It is served with jaew, a tart, salty, fiery dipping sauce made with lime, tamarind, chili and toasted rice powder. The meat is juicy and savory, while the sauce is bright and sharp—simple, bold and built for sharing.
Crying Tiger Steak (Suea Rong Hai)
เสือร้องไห้, suea rong hai
Pronounced SUEH-ah rong HY
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains fish, soy, gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Beef and marinade
Jaew dipping sauce
To serve
Method
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, pepper, oil and cilantro roots until the sugar dissolves. Add the beef and turn to coat, then cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
For the jaew, whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind, sugar and chili flakes until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the toasted rice powder, shallots, cilantro and green onion; the sauce should be loose, sour, salty and spicy. Set aside while you cook the steak.
Heat a grill, grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Lift the beef from the marinade and let the excess drip off; discard the marinade.
Grill the steak for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare, until deeply charred on the outside and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 125°F to 130°F (52°C to 54°C).
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes; the center should be rosy pink and the juices should settle.
Slice the steak against the grain into thin strips, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, and arrange on a platter.
Arrange the lettuce leaves and cucumber around the steak and spoon some jaew over the top, or serve the jaew in a bowl for dipping.
Regional variants
Some cooks add oyster sauce to the marinade for a glossier crust, and some serve the steak with a simple lime-chili sauce instead of jaew.
Cook's notes
- For the best char, use a grill or a cast-iron pan preheated until lightly smoking; do not crowd the steak.
- Let the steak rest before slicing so the juices stay in the meat.
- Taste the jaew before serving; it should be sour, salty and spicy in balance, so adjust lime, fish sauce or chili as needed.
Serve with
Warm sticky rice, fresh lettuce and cucumber, and cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
The jaew can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; the steak is best grilled just before serving. Leftover steak keeps 2 days and is good sliced cold in salads.
