I was paging through Everyday Food: Great Food Fast and I saw a recipe for a marinated flank steak. I didn't jot down the ingredients, but when I saw it, I thought, gee, those are things I always have around here. Lime juice and soy sauce were the main components.
So, when I went to the store, I picked up a skirt steak. First, I really like skirt steak, and second, the skirt steaks were smaller than the flank steaks, and I didn't want to make a lot of steak.
When I got home, I realized that I didn't actually have all the ingredients I needed, so I took the flavor profile and went my own way. And then, instead of serving it as a steak, I cut it into bite-size strips and served it on top of an Indian flatbread called paratha that I picked up at a new store here in town.
Here's how it went:
Lime and Sriracha Marinated Skirt Steak
Skirt or flank steak, or flap meat for 1-2 servings
For the marinade:
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sriracha
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
Combine all of the marinade ingredients. If you like, take a little taste to see if you like the balance of salt (from the soy) and tart (from the lime juice). You can add more ginger or sriracha, too, if you like.
Put your steak - flank or skirt or flap meat - into a plastic zip-top bag and drizzle the marinade into the bag. You only need enough marinade to coat the meat - you don't need it swimming. If you don't have enough to coat all surfaces of the meat, add another splash or two of soy and lime juice.
Let the meat rest on the counter for 15 minutes while you're prepping the rest of the meal. You don't need it to marinate for a long time - you're working with thin cuts of meat.
Heat a cast iron pan or medium-high heat. Add a little of your favorite oil to the pan - you just need enough to coat the bottom of the pan - a tablespoon is fine.
Remove the meat from the pan and let as much of the liquid drip off as possible. Add it to the hot pan and cook on both sides, until the meat is done to your liking.
Let the meat rest for a few minutes before slicing.
If you like spicy food, drizzle with some extra sriracha.