Lok lak is a Cambodian beef dish served with crispy lettuce and fresh tomatoes.
Youll always see it plated with the beef encircled with crisp romaine lettuce and sliced bright red tomatoes.
Lok lak is for a special occasion, but its also easy enough for a weekday meal.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Lok lak is one of my favorite dishes that my mom would make.
Make this next time you want to impress guests or tell your loved ones how much you care.
A French-Inspired Recipe
Youll find lok lak in Cambodia and Vietnam.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Its a French-inspired dish, and the inclusion of tomato sauce and beef are signs of that.
The Best Cut of Beef for Lok Lak
The hero of lok lak is the steak.
When I make lok lak, I like to use a New York strip steak or ribeye.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
If you use ribeye, remember to trim off any large pockets of fat.
Sometimes, soy sauce was added for extra umami.
Now, oyster sauce is made with sugar, salt, cornstarch, and oyster essence.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
My favorite brand of oyster sauce is fromLee Kum Kee.
you might find a variety of oyster sauces at specialty stores or online.
When I buy oyster sauce, I like to keep it in the fridge after opening.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
This flavor profile creates a balanced dish that feels complete on your palate.
The sauce for lak lok contains salt, sugar, pepper, garlic, and lime.
It rounds out the flavor of the beef by adding sour, spicy, and salty notes.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Next, put the meat in the middle.
Top everything with fragrant slices of scallions.
Serve your lok lak with pepper lime sauce and jasmine rice.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Place the cubed beef in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the marinade.
Add the garlic and the whites of the scallions.
Mix until well combined.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Marinate for 10 minutes.
Youll add this to the beef as its cooking.
Combine the salt, sugar, black pepper, lime juice, and garlic in a small bowl.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Set aside until ready to serve.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.
When oil is hot, add the steak to the pan, reserving the marinade left in the bowl.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Once the steak is almost to your liking, add the rest of the marinade to the pan.
Stir to coat the steak with the marinade.
Cook until the sauce thickens, 2 minutes.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Remove from heat and set aside.
Place fresh crispy romaine lettuce leaves on the outer edge of a large circular platter.
Overlap the tomatoes with the lettuce so that the tomatoes trace the edges of the lettuce.
Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Add the beef to the center of the platter.
Finally, top everything with the remaining sliced scallion greens.
Serve the lok lak with the pepper-lime sauce and hot jasmine rice.
To eat, create a lettuce wrap and fill with meat, tomatoes, rice, and lime-pepper sauce.
Refrigerate any leftover meat, sauce, and fresh vegetables in separate sealed containers for 3 to 4 days.
