Description
Crying Tiger Sauce, also known as Nam Jim Jaew, is a spicy, smoky, and tangy Thai dipping sauce traditionally served with grilled steak. It combines chili flakes, lime juice, fish sauce, and toasted rice powder to create an intensely flavorful condiment. This sauce is perfect with grilled meats, sticky rice, or roasted vegetables, and adds a fiery, citrusy kick to every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon toasted rice powder
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (or mint)
Instructions
- Make Toasted Rice Powder:
- Toast uncooked glutinous rice in a dry pan over low heat until golden brown.
- Let cool, then grind to a coarse powder using a mortar or spice grinder.
- Mix Wet Ingredients:
- In a bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, tamarind paste, and sugar.
- Stir until sugar is fully dissolved.
- Add Dry Ingredients:
- Stir in chili flakes, shallots, and toasted rice powder.
- Finish with Herbs:
- Add chopped cilantro.
- Taste and adjust balance between sour, salty, and sweet.
- Serve Immediately:
- Best served fresh but can be refrigerated for 1–2 days.
Notes
- Control the heat: Begin with half the chili flakes and increase gradually to suit your spice preference.
- Serve fresh: For the best flavor, prepare the sauce just before serving.
- Enhance the aroma: Toast raw sticky rice in a dry pan until golden brown, then grind it coarsely to add authentic nutty texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 12kcal
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Protein: 0.3g