Here’s how to make Crying Tiger Beef Steak (Suea Rong Hai)—a bold, smoky Thai dish with juicy grilled beef and a fiery dipping sauce that’s said to make even a tiger weep 🐅🔥.
🥩 Ingredients
For the steak marinade:
- 2 ribeye or sirloin steaks (about 200g each)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Crying Tiger dipping sauce (Nam Jim Jaew):
- 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili flakes
- 2 tsp toasted rice powder (dry-roast glutinous rice, then grind)
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tsp chopped fresh coriander
🔥 Instructions
- Marinate the steaks: Mix oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Rub onto steaks and let marinate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Make the dipping sauce: Toast rice in a dry pan until golden and fragrant, then grind into powder. Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Grill the steaks: Heat a heavy pan or grill to high. Cook steaks 2–3 minutes per side for a good char, then reduce heat and cook another 2–3 minutes for medium-rare. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve: Cut steaks thinly against the grain. Serve with sticky rice, fresh veggies, and the spicy dipping sauce.
This recipe from is a restaurant-quality dish you can easily make at home. Want to swap in flank steak or add Thai basil to the sauce? I’ve got riffs to make it your own.
