Description
Bo luc lac (shaking beef) is named for the technique of shaking the wok while the beef cubes sear in high heat. Tender cubes of beef marinated in soy, garlic, and sugar, seared until caramelized on the outside and rare inside, served on a bed of watercress with a lime-pepper dipping sauce. It is a French-Vietnamese fusion dish that has been a restaurant favorite for decades.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 lbs beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 bunch watercress or arugula
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Steamed rice
Instructions
- Toss the beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and pepper. Marinate 30 minutes.
- Make the dipping sauce: mix lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Heat oil in a wok over the highest heat possible until smoking. Add the beef in a single layer — do not crowd. Sear without moving for 1 minute, then shake the wok to flip the cubes. Sear 1 more minute for medium-rare.
- Arrange watercress and sliced red onion on a platter. Top with the seared beef. Drizzle with the lime-pepper sauce. Serve with rice.
Notes
- The wok must be screaming hot and the beef must go in as a single layer. Crowding steams the meat instead of searing it.
- Beef tenderloin gives the most tender result, but sirloin is more affordable and still excellent with a proper sear.
- The watercress or arugula wilts slightly under the hot beef, creating a warm salad effect that is the hallmark of this dish.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 110