Grilled Curry Flank Steak and Thai Coconut Chile Noodles

I was searching for a recipe to use the remaining coconut milk from Chicken In Peanut Sauce recipe posted Monday and found this on Epicurious.  Grilled Mahi Mahi with Thai Coconut Sauce was very appealing, yet also familiar.  I had already marked this recipe in my July issue of Bon Appetit.  So, if not once, but twice I was smitten with this recipe, then I should just get out the coconut milk and chiles!

My plan was to follow the recipe as written, but substitute Tilapia and serve it with rice noodles and steamed broccoli.  Mahi Mahi is wonderful, but Tilapia is much less expensive (almost free at Costco!) and one of my freezer staples.  I started making the sauce and realized I had no Tilapia or any kind of seafood in the freezer.  The next best option was to quick thaw a flank steak in the microwave and figure out some sort of rub that would complement the sauce.

I knew I wanted a curry flavor on the meat so I started with that and added anything else from the spice cabinet that sounded yummy.  Below is the recipe and I think it is delicious!  I'm not sure it really complemented the coconut sauce, but wanted to include it because it was that good.  It would make for terrific kebabs and bring something totally unexpected to your next barbecue.  Serve it with flat breads and a yogurt sauce-your guests will be in heaven!

Grilled Curry Flank Steak

1 tablespoon curry powder (I used Red Curry Powder)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground chile pepper 

1 teaspoon salt

1 1-2 pound flank steak

Combine curry powder, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, ginger, black pepper, chili pepper, and salt in a small bowl.  Pat flank steak dry and rub both sides with spice mixture.  Grill seasoned steak on medium high heat, 5 minutes per side for medium rare.  Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes.  Cut thinly across the grain of the meat and serve. 

If you're lucky some of the juices that spill from the meat will be absorbed by the rub, creating sort of a sauce on the plate.  I was trying not to lick the plate!

Thai Coconut Chile Noodles

adapted from:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Mahi-Mahi-with-Thai-Coconut-Sauce-359709

This sauce is amazing!  So light and refreshing, and bursting with flavor from serrano chiles and lime juice.  I added cooked rice noodles to the reduced sauce to serve with the flank steak, but I'm sure the original recipe is fabulous.  I would try it with any kind of seafood and brown rice for a quick, healthy dinner.