Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)

There’s generally not much beef in Vietnamese diets but this recipe is a classic. And it’s simple to make. You don’t need a fancy cut of beef. If you like tender you can use filet mignon which is not as flavorful as other cuts but the sauce will give you plenty of flavor. Otherwise, use whatever cut you want.

Ingredients

10.5 oz (300 grams) steak, cubed

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp (5 ml) fish sauce

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 red onion, sliced

2 scallions, finely sliced

For Serving

1 lime wedge

steamed rice

finely sliced iceberg lettuce

1 cucumber, deseeded, julienned

1 tomato, cut into wedges

fresh cilantro or mint leaves, to serve (optional)

Stir-fry sauce:

3 tbsp (45 ml) oyster sauce

2 tbsp (30 ml) white vinegar

1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) dark soy sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) sugar

1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp water

Preparation

In a bowl, combine the beef with the garlic, fish sauce, and a small pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a good mix then set it aside to marinate for a few minutes.

For the stir-fry sauce, mix ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.

Place your wok over super-high heat. When it starts to smoke, add the oil. Add the red onion and stir-fry until just softened. Set aside.

Add the beef and spread the pieces out in the wok. Allow to sear for 2–3 minutes before flipping and stir-frying. Allow the beef to settle again so it can sear for another couple of minutes. Then toss and stir-fry until it’s almost cooked. Add back the onion.

Drizzle the stir-fry sauce around the sides of the wok before tossing it through the beef. Add the corn flour mixture and simmer for a minute until the sauce is thick and glossy. Toss through the spring onion.

Divide your rice among serving bowls. Top with little clusters of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, spoonfuls of beef, and fresh herbs. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Serve with a wedge of lime.