How to successfully prepare a Lok Lak at home!

In Cambodia, everyone will tell you that lok lak was created here. This dish, which consists of beef and salad, may have been influenced by French colonialism in Indochina during the Protectorate period in Cambodia. The dish was named by Vietnam, and the name "lok lak" means "to stir." Both Cambodia and Vietnam serve different versions of lok lak, and here is the one you’ll find on your plate in Cambodia!

The Cambodian and Vietnamese recipes share a common foundation. Served with a bowl of rice, the beef, cooked in sauce, is carefully placed on a bed of lettuce leaves, tomatoes, and onions. The cooking method for the meat and vegetables differs, however, and the Khmer people like to accompany the dish with a pepper and lime sauce called tuk mrech. Here’s a recipe you can easily recreate at home in just about 20 minutes.

Preparation of Lok Lak and its Cambodian sauce

• Start by preparing the marinade. Place the beef cubes in a bowl and add oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and soy sauce if desired. Mix until the meat turns a brownish color. Let the marinade sit for a few minutes.
• Mince the garlic, ensuring to remove the germ first. The garlic will help soften the flavor of the marinated meat. Set it aside.
• While the marinade is settling, begin preparing the plates, an important step. Arrange the lettuce leaves to form a bed, leaving enough space for a small bowl of rice and the marinated meat later. Surround the lettuce with sliced tomatoes and minced onions. If you prefer, you can soak the vegetables in Chinese vinegar before adding them to the dish.
• Add the rice to the plate.
• Heat the frying pan and cook a fried egg per person. Set them aside. While the pan is hot, add a little oil to brown the minced garlic. Then, place the marinated meat in the pan. Stir regularly as the meat cooks. Add a tablespoon of starch mixed with water from a small bowl. Stir everything well. Once cooked (5-8 minutes), arrange the meat on the plate and find a small space between the beef and rice to place the egg.
• Finally, prepare the sauce by mixing lime, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.

Ingredients for Lok Lak (Serves 4): 

1. 400g of beef, pre-cut into cubes
2. 1 garlic clove, minced
3. Lettuce leaves, 4 tomatoes, 2 onions
4. 4 eggs
5. 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce
6. 1 tablespoon of starch
7. 3 tablespoons of water
8. Oil
9. Salt
10. Pepper
11. White rice

Ingredients for the "Tuk Mrech" Sauce: 

1. 2 garlic cloves, minced
2. Lime (to taste)
3. Pepper

Dip your meat into the small bowl of sauce and enjoy your work. You’ve just cooked a genuine Cambodian lok lak!