11 Sept. 2019 — In Cambodia, everyone will tell you that lok lak was created here. This dish, mingling beef with salad, likely owes its roots to French influence during the Indochina era and the French Protectorate in Cambodia. Vietnam gave it its name, which means "to stir." Both Southeast Asian countries serve two distinct versions of lok lak, and here's the one you'll find on plates throughout Cambodia!

Both the Cambodian and Vietnamese recipes rest on the same foundation. Served alongside a bowl of rice, the sauced beef is arranged carefully on a bed of lettuce leaves, tomatoes, and onions. The cooking of the meat and vegetables differs, however, and Khmers love to accompany the dish with a pepper and lime sauce called tuk mrech. Here's a recipe you can very easily recreate at home in just twenty minutes.

Preparing Lok Lak and Its Cambodian Sauce

• Start by preparing the marinade. Place the diced beef in a bowl and incorporate oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and soy sauce if desired. Mix until the meat takes on a brownish hue. Let the marinade rest for a few minutes.
• Mince the garlic after removing the germ. This will serve to soften the flavor of the marinated meat. Set aside.
• While the marinade develops, you'll already plate the dish—this step is very important. Keeping a generous empty space to place a small bowl of rice and the marinated meat later, arrange the lettuce leaves to form a bed. Border this bed with tomato slices and thinly sliced onions. If you wish, you can soak these vegetables in Chinese vinegar before adding them to the dish.
• Add the rice to the plate.
• Heat the pan and cook fried eggs, one per person. Set them aside. While the pan is hot, add a little oil and brown your minced garlic. Place your marinated meat on top. Incorporate the meat and stir regularly during cooking. Pour in a tablespoon of cornstarch that you've previously dissolved in a bowl of water. Mix everything well. Once cooking is complete (5–8 minutes), arrange the meat on the plate and find a small space between the beef and rice to place your egg.
• Next, prepare your sauce by mixing lime juice, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl.

Ingredients for lok lak (serves 4):

1. 400g beef, diced beforehand
2. 1 minced garlic clove
3. Lettuce leaves, 4 tomatoes, 2 onions
4. 4 eggs
5. 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
6. 1 tablespoon cornstarch
7. 3 tablespoons water
8. Oil
9. Salt
10. Pepper
11. White rice

Ingredients for "Tuk Mrech" sauce:

1. 2 minced garlic cloves
2. Lime juice to taste
3. Pepper

Dip your meat into this small bowl of sauce and savor your work greatly. You've just prepared an authentic Cambodian lok lak!

Thibault BourruA passionate lover of literature and Asia, Thibault shares his experiences through his writing.