Bò lúc lắc — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Cubes of tender beef tenderloin seared over intense heat in a wok with garlic and butter, then tossed with a tangy lime-pepper dipping sauce, served over a bed of watercress and tomatoes. The name refers to the shaking motion used while wok-tossing the beef.

Ingredients

600g beef tenderloin, cut into 2.5cm cubes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch watercress
2 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
1 red onion, sliced into rings
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1 Marinate beef cubes in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and half the garlic for at least fifteen minutes at room temperature.
2 Make the dipping sauce by mixing lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl and setting aside.
3 Heat a wok over the highest possible heat until smoking, add oil and butter, and immediately add the beef in a single layer without overcrowding.
4 Let the beef sear undisturbed for one minute to develop a deep brown crust, then shake and toss the wok vigorously for another minute until all sides are seared.
5 Add remaining garlic, toss once more for thirty seconds, then immediately transfer the beef to a plate.
6 Arrange watercress, tomato wedges, and red onion rings on a serving platter, pile the seared beef on top, and serve with the lime-pepper dipping sauce.

Did You Know?

Bo luc lac is one of the clearest examples of French-Vietnamese fusion cuisine, combining the French technique of searing beef with butter alongside the Vietnamese love of lime-pepper dipping sauce and fresh greens.