Cambodian Beef Salad (Lok Lak)

Introduction

Do you want to try something different? Cambodian cuisine is very delicious. Every meal awakens the taste buds. A dish that is appetizing is called Cambodian beef salad (Lok Lak in Khmer language). If you never had the opportunity to try Cambodian food, this dish sums up all the flavors. It is simple to make and it is affordable. The main step is cooking the meat, arranging the vegetable, and preparing the dressing. The dressing for this meal can be used for other foods if you want to expand your palate senses. You can eat this entree with jasmine rice or simply on its own. I will show you how to create this dish and hopefully you will enjoy it. Let us begin!

• Large pan
• Cutting Board
• Chef Knife
• Wooden Spatula
• Medium Bowl
• Large Plate
• Spoon

Note: Make sure vegetables is wash thoroughly

Dressing

• 1-2 Clove Minced Garlic
• 1-2 Minced Thai Chili Pepper
• 3-5 Sprig Roughly Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
• 1-2 Teaspoon Sugar
• 2 Whole Lime Squeezed
• 3-5 Teaspoon Fish Sauce

Salad

• 1 Head Red Leaf Lettuce
• 1 Tomato ¼ Sliced
• ½ Purple Onion ¼ Sliced

Beef

• 1 pound Sliced Beef
• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 2 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 1-2 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Chopped Green Onion (Optional)

Warning: Try not to spill the dressing on your clothes.

1. Combined garlic, Thai chili, cilantro, fish sauce, lime, sugar, and black pepper into a bowl and stir it with a spoon.

2. Refrigerate the bowl of dressing.

Warning: Be careful using the chef knife.

1. With the cutting board and chef knife, cut 2 inches off the end of the red leaf lettuce.

2. Arranged the leaves of the red leaf lettuce on the large plate in a sunflower form.

3. Place the sliced tomato on top of the red leaf lettuce in a sunflower form. (Note: layering the vegetable)

4. Place the sliced onion on top of the tomatoes in a sunflower form. (Note layering the vegetable)

5. Refrigerate the plate of layered vegetables in the fridge.

Warning: Be careful using the heat range.

1. Place the large pan on top of the range over medium heat.

2. Add the oil onto the large pan and let it heat up until the oil sizzle.

3. Add the pound of sliced beef onto the large pan and use the wooden spatula to stir fry the beef until it is cooked. (Note: 8-10 minutes to cook)

4. Turn the heat to low and add oyster sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper.

5. Turn heat to medium, stir the mixture, and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.

6. Turn off the heat.

1. Remove the plate of layered vegetable from the fridge.

2. Pour the large pan of beef over the layered vegetable.

3. Take the chopped green onion and sprinkle all over the beef salad.

4. Remove the dressing from the fridge.

The Cambodian tradition of eating this meal by using your hands.

I recommend using utensil, since the dressing has a strong aroma and it will cause your finger to smell for a while.

The meal can be served with jasmine rice.

To eat this dish as a salad, I would take a red leaf lettuce and pile on tomato, onion, and beef. I carefully wrap it up and dip it into the dressing.

Another way to eat this salad is to chop all the vegetable and put it into a bowl. You can add the desire beef and dressing.

It is best to serve this meal immediately when it is hot, so prepare it close to dinnertime.

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!