Cambodian Shaking Beef (Lok Lak)
ឡុកឡាក់ Lok lakSay it: lok LAHK
Lok lak is Cambodia's beloved beef dish, sold at street stalls and served at family tables from Phnom Penh to Battambang. Bite-size cubes of beef are marinated in oyster sauce, garlic and black pepper, then seared fast in a very hot wok — cooks shake the pan, which gives the dish its name. The beef goes onto crisp lettuce with tomato and cucumber, next to steamed rice and a small bowl of lime juice with salt and pepper. Savory, tangy and sharply peppery, it is quick, fresh and unmistakably Khmer.
Cambodian Shaking Beef (Lok Lak)
ឡុកឡាក់, Lok lak
Pronounced lok LAHK
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, soy, fish, shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Beef and marinade
To stir-fry
Lime-pepper dip
To serve
Method
Whisk the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, garlic, cornstarch and 1½ tbsp oil in a bowl until smooth. Add the beef cubes, toss until every piece is coated, and let stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or cover and chill for up to 2 hours.
Stir the lime juice, salt and black pepper together in a small bowl and set aside; the dip should taste sharply sour, salty and peppery.
Cook the rinsed rice according to the packet instructions, then keep it covered and warm.
Arrange the lettuce leaves over a large platter, tuck the tomato wedges and cucumber slices around them, and set aside.
Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke, then add 1 tbsp of the oil and swirl it around.
Add half the beef in a single layer and let it sear without moving for about 1 minute, then toss for 1 to 2 minutes more, until deeply browned and the edges crisp; tip onto a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
Return all the beef to the wok, add the onion rings, and toss over high heat for 30 to 45 seconds, until the onion barely softens and the beef is glossy and coated.
Slide the beef and onions onto the lettuce bed so the juices soak into the leaves, and serve at once with the warm rice and the lime-pepper dip, spooned over the meat at the table.
Regional variant: Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bò Lúc Lắc)
Marinate the beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and black pepper as above, adding 1 tbsp minced lemongrass and leaving out the fish sauce if you prefer. Sear the cubes the same way, then serve on watercress or lettuce with sliced tomato, raw onion rings and, in the southern style, a handful of thin potato fries, with a dip of lime juice, salt and pepper.
Cook's notes
- Pat the beef very dry before marinating — surface moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
- Get the wok properly hot and cook the beef in two batches; crowding it will steam the meat instead of browning it.
- Grind the pepper for the dip just before serving; fresh Kampot pepper is floral and packs far more punch than pre-ground.
Serve with
Steamed jasmine rice, the lime-pepper dip, and iced tea or a cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
Marinate the beef up to 24 hours ahead and prepare the vegetables and dip a few hours in advance; sear the beef just before serving, as it loses its crisp edges on reheating.
