Peppered beef tataki with green chilli jaew
This big-flavoured dish takes the delicate sensibilities of Japanese rare beef tataki and smacks it with a vibrant Lao jaew. It's perfect for summer.
Ingredients
500g beef fillet, about 20cm long
2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
Green chilli jaew
1 coriander plant (including stems and root)
2 garlic cloves
2 large green chillies, sliced
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp roasted shrimp paste (or substitute an extra 2 tsp fish sauce)
2 tsp sugar
juice of 2 large limes or lemons (plus extra wedges to serve)
Method
Step 1
Trim the beef of any silver skin and season well with salt. Roughly crush the black peppercorns using a mortar and pestle and cover the beef with them, pressing the crushed peppercorns firmly into the meat.
Step 2
Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add the oil. Sear the beef all over until well browned. Add the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar and simmer for about 3 minutes, until the soy sauce mixture has thickened to the consistency of maple syrup. Transfer the meat and reduced sauce to a large press-seal bag and allow to cool. Seal the bag and refrigerate the beef for at least 1 hour (preferably 4).
Step 3
For the jaew, pluck off the coriander leaves and set aside. Roughly chop the stems and root and pound with the garlic and chilli using a mortar and pestle. Combine with the fish sauce, shrimp paste, sugar and citrus juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Step 4
Using a very sharp knife, slice the beef thinly and arrange the slices on a plate. Drizzle over some of the juices from the bag, and serve.
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Adam Liaw is a cookbook author and food writer, co-host of Good Food Kitchen and former MasterChef winner.
