Bo Luc Lac Recipe (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
Bo luc lac, or Vietnamese shaking beef, is tender cubes of filet mignon seared hot and fast, tossed with red onion, scallions and a tangy soy and fish sauce glaze, then served over peppery watercress with a lime, salt and pepper dipping sauce.
Servings: 4
Calories: 343kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound tender beef steak filet mignon, use your favorite, cut into bite-sized pieces
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional
- Salt and black pepper to taste
FOR THE SHAKING BEEF
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or more as needed
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 5-6 scallions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 bunch watercress stems removed
- 1 small cucumber sliced (optional)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced (optional)
DIPPING SAUCE
- Juice from 2 large limes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the beef slices into a bowl. Whisk together the vegetable oil, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the beef and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or longer (2 hours is good).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large pan to high heat until simmering (do not let it smoke). Add the beef in batches in a single layer and sear each side, about 1-2 minutes per side, until the beef has a nice brown crust and is done to your liking. Remove the beef and set aside onto a plate.
- Add the red onion and scallions (with a bit more oil if needed) and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture along with the reserved seared beef. Shake the pan as you cook for a few seconds to warm through.
- Serve over a mix of watercress or other salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes.
- For the dipping sauce, whisk together the lime juice, salt, and pepper, and serve alongside the beef salad.
Notes
For a richer, restaurant-style finish, add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan after the sauce and toss until melted, as Charles Phan does.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1990mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg