Bò Lúc Lắc

Method

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1. Mix the beef with the garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.

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2. Whisk the rice vinegar, sugar and oil for the salad. Toss the watercress, tomatoes and sliced onion with the dressing and arrange on a platter.

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3. Stir the lime juice, salt and pepper together in a small dipping bowl.

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4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large frying pan over the highest heat until it just begins to smoke. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it for 1 minute without moving, to sear.

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5. Shake the pan and toss the beef for 1 to 2 minutes, until browned all over but still pink in the middle. Tip it onto the salad. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.

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6. Add the butter and onion wedges to the pan, cook for 1 minute, and spoon over the beef.

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7. Serve at once, with rice and the dipping sauce.

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Chef’s Tips

• Cook the beef in two batches. If the pan is crowded the cubes steam and turn grey.
• Let the pan get very hot before the beef goes in. It should sizzle loudly on contact.
• Cut the cubes the same size, about 2.5 cm, so that they all cook to the same doneness.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Chips
• Iced lime soda

Storage & Reheating

Best eaten at once. Keep leftover beef in the fridge up to 2 days and eat it cold in a salad.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.