Method

To make the marinade, de-seed and finely dice the chilli, then remove the woody top and any tough outer leaves from the lemongrass, discard, and chop the stalk finely. Put the chilli and lemongrass in a bowl, crush in the garlic cloves, then use the edge of a teaspoon to peel the skin away from the ginger before grating the flesh into the bowl. Grate the lime zest into the bowl, then halve and juice the lime and add that, too, together with the soy sauce and both the oils. Cut the coriander leaves away from the stems, then chop the leaves roughly and set aside to use as a garnish later. Chop the coriander stems finely, and add them to the bowl of marinade. 

Whisk everything together to combine. Lay the steaks in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them, then cover the dish and place in the fridge for at least an hour. When you are nearly ready to start cooking your steaks, check the cooking time on your rice packaging (if using) and get it cooking so that it will be ready alongside the steaks - get any accompanying veg prepped and almost-ready, too, as the steaks don’t take long. If you like your steak medium-rare, medium or well done, pre-heat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6). You won’t need the oven if you prefer it rare.

To cook the steaks, put a large frying pan over a high heat and let it get really hot. When the pan is ready, use a slotted spoon to lift one steak at a time into the pan (you won’t need any extra oil). Carefully tip the marinade into a separate saucepan and bring it up to a simmer, then lower the heat slightly and let it bubble away for 5-10 minutes while the steaks cook, until reduced to a sauce. Meanwhile, cook the steaks for about 3 minutes on each side, until sealed and browned all over. If you like your steak rare, it is now ready to rest for a few minutes before serving. For medium-rare steaks, place the steaks on a baking tray and put in the pre-heated oven for 2-3 minutes (leave them in the oven for a further two minutes for a medium finish; leave them in for additional two-minute increments for medium-well and well-done).

When they’re cooked to your preference, take the steaks out of the oven, cover with foil and let them rest for 3-4 minutes. To serve, put the steaks on two plates, with any accompanying rice and veg. Pour the sauce into a serving dish or jug, then drizzle a little of it over each steak and scatter over the coriander leaves. Take the plates to the table with the rest of the sauce.