Meat

Bò lúc lắc (shaking beef)

Vietnamese ‘shaking beef’: cubes of tender beef seared in a very hot wok with garlic and oyster sauce, served on watercress with a lime-pepper dip.

  • 30 min20 prep · 10 cook
  • EasyDifficulty
  • 380 kcalper serving

Ingredients

4 servings
  • Beef sirloin or fillet, in 2.5 cm cubes600 g
  • garlic5 cloves
  • Oyster sauce2 tbsp
  • Soy sauce1 tbsp
  • Fish sauce1 tbsp
  • Sugar1 tbsp
  • Vegetable oil3 tbsp
  • Butter20 g
  • Red onion, in wedges1
  • Watercress100 g
  • Tomatoes, sliced2
  • Limes2
  • Saltto taste
  • Black pepperto taste
  • Steamed rice, to serveto taste

Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.

Steps

  1. 1

    Mix the beef with half the garlic, the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, 1 tbsp oil and plenty of pepper. Marinate.

  2. 2

    Arrange the watercress and tomato slices on a platter. Mix lime juice with salt and pepper in small dishes for dipping.

  3. 3

    Heat a wok or heavy pan until smoking, add the rest of the oil and the beef in a single layer. Leave to sear, then shake the pan.

  4. 4

    Add the butter, the rest of the garlic and the onion and keep shaking until the beef is browned but pink inside.

  5. 5

    Tip the beef and its juices over the watercress and serve with the dip and rice.

Tips and questions
Which cut is best for shaking beef?
A tender, quick-cooking cut such as sirloin, ribeye or fillet. Tougher cuts become chewy in such a short cook.
Why shake instead of stir?
Letting the cubes sit first gives them a crust, and shaking turns them without breaking it or cooling the pan.

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