simbal

Southeast Asian Kitchen + Bar

Heavenly beef, coriander, garlic, Chinese chives, dry aged beef fat

This dish originates from David Thompson’s Thai Food. In it, Thompson recalls his first encounter with the dish on a train ride to northern Thailand. Aside from being impressed with the quality of food in economy class, Thompson was also struck by how the beef was prepared. To achieve the the “heavenly” flavors, the meat is fermented on household rooftops for a couple of days in hot and humid 90+ degree heat until funk is obtained.

 

Here in the U.S., the health department would shut us down if we were to replicate the recipe precisely. However, we didn’t want to lose the funk! So, instead of gambling with mother nature, we render down dry aged beef fat because the fat retains the funkiness from the aging process. We add the fat in the final step, after the marinated beef has been stir fried, generating the funk and richness of heavenly beef. The scent is subtle, but vital.

 

This dish is also intended to be eaten with jasmine rice.

 

 

photo courtesy of Salt of the Earth/Bruce Kramer