In a city abundantly sprinkled with Thai restaurants, Thep Phanom consistently ranks at the top of the list. On a side street in the Lower Haight, its gracious service, pleasant setting, and excellent food mean that you’ll almost always have to wait for a table. But the wait is worth it for such multi-flavored dishes as this stir-fry of medium-rare steak and green pepper in a rich, savory-sweet sauce.
Chef/owner Pathama Parikanont named this dish after the movie Titanic because of its huge flavor; the beef may be replaced with prawns, chicken, salmon, pork, or tofu, since, as Parikanont says, “It’s the sauce that’s Thaitanic!”

Thep Phanom Thai Cuisine
400 Waller Street (at Fillmore)

Ingredients

Thaitanic Sauce

• 1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• Pinch of ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 fresh or thawed frozen kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
• 1 inch piece lemongrass (white part only), peeled and thinly sliced
• ½  inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 10 ounces rib-eye beefsteak
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1-inch-squares
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• Steamed jasmine rice for serving

Garnish

• Shredded fresh Thai or sweet basil leaves
  Julienned red bell pepper

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir to blend.
2. Pat steaks dry with paper towels. Combine 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon baking soda in small bowl. Rub oil mixture evenly onto both sides of each steak.
3. Grilling the steaks on the Weber
   1. Set up the Weber grill so you have a foil pan under the grate. Fill the foil pan with red wine or a good beer. Leave the other side of the grill exposed to the grate.
   2. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.
   3. Turn off 1 burner that is under the exposed grill area and leave other burner(s) on high.
   4. Clean and oil cooking grate.
   5. Cook steaks on side of grill that has the foil pan under it until well browned and meat registers 130 to 135 degrees (for medium), 2 to 4 minutes per side.
   6. Move steaks to exposed side of grill and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes so that both sides of the meat are “branded” by the grate and properly cooked.
   7. Transfer steaks to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
   8. Cut steaks on bias against grain into ½-inch-thick slices by 1-by-¼-inch slices.
4. Broil the bell pepper squares, skin-side up, about 4 inches from the heat source for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened.
5. In a wok or skillet over medium heat, heat the oil and stir-fry the garlic just until golden. Remove the pan from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove some of the garlic and reserve for garnish. Add the sauce to the pan and place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and bell pepper squares and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk until well blended.
6. Serve at once over steamed rice, sprinkled with the reserved garlic and the basil and red bell pepper.