Marinated Steaks
1.5 lb steaks, see note
½ tsp black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 ½ Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp neutral oil
Nam Jim Jeaw Dipping Sauce
2 Tbsp tamarind paste
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp palm sugar, very finely chopped
2 Tbsp minced shallots or chopped green onion
½ teaspoon roasted chili flakes, or to taste
1 Tbsp uncooked rice, toasted and ground
3 sprigs cilantro or mint, chopped
To make the marinade, pound the black pepper in a mortar and pestle into a powder, then add the garlic and pound into a fine paste. Add all remaining marinade ingredients and stir to mix well. ½ tsp black peppercorns, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 ½ Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 2 Tbsp neutral oil
Place the steaks into a dish just big enough to hold them in one layer, or put them in a freezer bag. Add the marinade and move the steaks around to ensure they're thoroughly coated.
Marinate the steaks for a minimum of 3 hours and up to overnight. Bring the steaks out 1 hour before grilling so they will not be too cold and will cook more evenly.
For the Nam Jim Jeaw dipping sauce
In a small bowl, combine the tamarind, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Stir in the shallots and the chili flakes and set aside while you make the toasted rice powder; don't worry about any undissolved sugar chunks.
2 Tbsp tamarind paste, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp palm sugar, 2 Tbsp minced shallots or chopped green onion, ½ teaspoon roasted chili flakes
Make the toasted rice powder: In a dry skillet, add the rice and toast it over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the grains are deep brown (see video for the colour you're going for). Pour onto a plate to cool, then grind in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder into a mostly-fine powder
Close to serving time, stir the sauce; the sugar should now be completely dissolved, and if there are a few stubborn chunks, they can be easily smushed with the back of a spoon. Stir in the toasted rice powder and cilantro or mint.