WESTERN FOODIE

Crying Tiger Steak with Papaya Salad

If you love beef, here’s an alternative to the typical steak. This dish makes a fantastic appetizer to wow your friends, or add cooked rice as a base to make it a meal!

By MIKE EDGAR Photos By TWISTED TREE PHOTOGRAPHY

Tender, juicy morsels of steak are always a hit around the tables of western lifestyle families. Sometimes however, it’s nice to flip a traditional dish on its head. Paired with a unique dipping sauce, this unrivalled take on beef is a wonderful combination of sweet, sour and spicy. With a tender center that offers hints of sweet and tangy flavors from an Asian-inspired marinade, this dish is followed by a bright, cool, refreshing papaya salad that will cleanse your palate – before you head back for seconds. Use whatever cut of steak you prefer. For this recipe, we chose a ribeye.

Cooked to perfection, you’ll enjoy cutting through these rich, buttery slices of steak complimented with the ultimate in a savoury and sweet dipping sauce. With the versatility of being an appetizer, or served upon a bed of rice as full meal – this recipe gives you so many options.

1/4 Cup Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp Fish Sauce Juice of 1 Lime 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar Pinch of Ground Black Pepper 1/4 Cup of Freshly Chopped Lemongrass

METHOD

Mix all the marinade ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Place the beef in a large zip lock bag and pour marinade on top. Remove as much air as possible, seal the bag and massage until marinade is distributed over all the beef. Let stand in refrigerator for four hours.

METHOD

For the dipping sauce, mix all ingredients together, except for the rice powder. That will be added just before serving.

You can buy or make your own toasted rice powder. If you choose to make it yourself, place uncooked, white rice (we used sushi rice), in a frying pan on medium heat, stirring constantly until all rice is a nice, golden brown. You don’t have to cook the rice in any oil or water. Simply place the rice in a skillet and shake the pan over medium heat, to distribute the grains evenly. This is not something you can place on the stove and walk away from – stand overtop of it and observe. Do not let it burn.

CRYING TIGER DIPPING SAUCE

4 Tbsp Fish Sauce Juice of 2 Limes 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Tbsp Tamarind Concentrate 2 Sliced Fresh Red Thai Chili 1 Tbsp Toasted Rice Powder 1 Shallot, Finely Chopped 1/4 Cup Chopped Cilantro

Once the rice is golden brown, let it cool. Place the cooked, cooled, dry rice in a coffeegrinder or pepper-grinder and grind to a powder. Rice powder adds a crunchy texture and nutty flavour to the sauce. Add the rice powder to the dipping sauce, just prior to serving.

PAPAYA SALAD

4 Tbsp Roasted Peanuts 3 Sliced, Red Thai Chilies 1 Minced Garlic Clove 1 Tbsp Minced Ginger 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar 5 Sliced Cherry Tomatoes Juice of 2 Limes 1/2 a Green Papaya peeled, and shredded 1 Orange Carrot, Shredded Handful Thai Basil Leaves 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro

METHOD

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, except for the peanuts (obviously, omit these if nut allergies are of concern). Let ingredients marinade in fridge for at least an hour before serving. If desired, add the peanuts just before serving.

DISH METHOD

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry, any leftover marinade can be discarded. Cook your steaks on your desired surface, to your desired doneness. We used a cast iron pan and cooked to medium rare. Do remember that the sugar content of the marinade could burn if the temperature gets too high. Rest your steaks for 10 minutes.

About the Chef:

Mike Edgar graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in the Culinary Arts. He stayed in Calgary, AB working at some of the city’s top restaurants. In 2007, he opened his own restaurant in Calgary’s east end. After eight years of being a chef there, Edgar decided to take a step back and left the industry to spend more time with his son. His son has now expressed an interest in learning his father’s skills and in horses simultaneously.

After the steaks have rested, slice your steak into strips and layer onto a serving dish. Pile the papaya salad next to the meat or in a separate serving dish. Spoon some of the dipping sauce over the meat and serve the rest on the side for added dipping.

Enjoy!