Shaking Beef a.k.a Bo Luc Lac
So Minh is Vietnamese which means I am frequently blessed with Vietnamese delicacies, whether it’s at his mom’s house or our own. Hands downnnnnnnn his shaking beef a.k.a. Bo Luc Lac (pronounced baw look laahk) is my favourite. If there’s a special occasion, we make shaking beef. When we’re trying to impress people who come over? Shaking beef. Having a bad day? SHAKING BEEF. It’s so easy, so simple and the crunch from the watercress and the brightness of the lime are such a nice compliment to the tender and juicy beef. Eat with a bowl (or three) of rice and you will never be happier, promise.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 4 servings
2 lbs of a tender cut of beef cut into 1.5 inch cubes (think rib-eye, sirloin)
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
2 tbsp of oyster sauce
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tsp of fish sauce
1 tsp of sugar, honey or maple syrup
3 garlic cloves minced
½ tsp of black pepper
2 bunches of watercress
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
3 limes
Optional: pickled onions for garnish
Dipping Sauce:
Lime wedge
½ tsp of black pepper
½ tsp of salt
Optional: wasabi to taste (not traditional but adds an interesting layer of straight heat)
METHOD
Marinate cubed beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic and black pepper for 1 hour in the refrigerator or overnight for best results.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan on high heat. Once oil is hot, add marinated beef and let sit for a bit to get a nice sear - try not to stir!
Once a brown crust forms, lightly brown the remaining sides by stirring or shaking the pan (ha, get it?).
Take the pan off the heat and add tomatoes to warm them up.
Cut watercress into bite sized pieces, lay on a serving dish and place cooked beef and tomatoes on top.
Squeeze two limes on top along with some freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve with fresh rice and dipping sauce.
