Crying Tiger tri-tip

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 piece tri-tip (about 700 g-1 kg)
• Salt
• Raw snake beans, sliced cucumber, lime wedges and coriander leaves, to serve

For the roasted rice powder

• 3 tbsp raw glutinous rice
• 1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
• 2 makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 small dried chillies, seeds removed
• 2 thin slices galangal

For the nahm jim jeow

• 3 cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 red bird’s eye chillies
• 2 coriander roots, stems and leaves finely chopped
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 eschallot, finely chopped
• 1-2 tbsp roasted rice powder (above)

Resting time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the roasted rice powder, combine the ingredients in a dry, large frying pan over medium heat. Toast the spices, tossing occasionally (taking care not to burn!) until the rice is toasted and the remaining ingredients are very dry. Transfer the mixture to a spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder.
2. To make the nahm jim jeow, return the frying pan to the heat and dry toast the cherry tomatoes, garlic and chillies until blackened. Transfer to a mortar and pestle with the finely chopped coriander and pound to a thick paste. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine, adding more or less roasted rice power to your liking.
3. To cook the tri-tip, preheat the oven to 170˚C (fan-forced) and return the frying pan to high heat. Add the vegetable oil. Cut the tri-tip, 8 cm from the wide end, to give you two large pieces. Season the beef well with salt, then sear for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown all over.
4. Transfer the beef to a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until an internal temperature registers 55˚C (the temperature will increase to 60˚C after resting).
5. To serve, thinly slice the tri-tip and serve with the nahm jim jeow, a little more roasted rice powder, snake beans, cucumber, lime wedges and coriander leaves on the side.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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