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Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac)

Vietnamese Shaking Beef (Bo Luc Lac) reads umami 9.1, salinity 6.4 and richness 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 22 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 9.1 · Salinity 6.4 · Richness 5.7 · Funk & Ferment 5.3 · Sourness 5.3 · Citrus 4.8 · Sweetness 4.5 · Marine & Briny 4.1 · Allium 3.6 · Herbaceous 1.9 · Fruity 1.6 · Bitterness 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Earthy 0.9 · Nutty 0.8 · Heat 0.7 · Floral 0.5

What's in it (15)

• sirloin steak beef — 680 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• garlic — 15 g
• vegetable oil — 54 g
• soy sauce — 30 g
• oyster sauce — 15 g
• granulated sugar — 13 g
• fish sauce — 15 g
• red onion — 110 g
• watercress — 946 g
• grape tomatoes — 237 g
• lime juice — 30 g
• rice wine vinegar — 11 g
• steamed jasmine rice — 710 g

Time & effort: about 22 min (7 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 120.9 kcal, 6.5 g protein, 5.4 g fat, 11.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Pat the beef cubes dry and toss in a bowl with the salt, half the black pepper, and half the garlic; let sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables and sauces, about 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and fish sauce in a small bowl to make the glaze; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, toss the watercress, cherry tomatoes, and half the sliced red onion for the salad.
4. Whisk the lime juice, rice vinegar, remaining black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a small bowl to make the dressing; toss half of it with the watercress salad and reserve the rest.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke.
6. Add the beef in a single layer, working in two batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan, and sear undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, about 2 minutes.
7. Flip and sear the second side until browned but still pink in the center for medium-rare, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer the beef to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
8. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining garlic, and remaining onion to the same pan; saute over medium-high heat until fragrant and the onion starts to soften, about 1 minute.
9. Pour in the soy glaze, return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pan, and toss constantly until the sauce reduces to a glossy coating and the beef reaches at least 130 F for medium-rare, 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Mound the dressed watercress salad on a platter, pile the shaking beef and pan sauce on top, drizzle with the reserved lime dressing, and serve immediately with the jasmine rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef) — Vietnamese
• Thai Fried Rice with Chicken (Khao Pad Gai) — Thai
• Shrimp Pad Thai — Thai
• Thai Fried Rice (Khao Pad) — Thai
• Thai Basil Shrimp Fried Rice — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.