Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

I didn't cook this, but my mom did and I took notes! Incidentally, Lien had also make Bo Luc Lac in the same week that my mom did. How funny. Let's see how my mom's version compares.

Bo Luc Lac:
1 pound beef (more tender cuts work better, like filet mignon or rib-eye)
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 head red-leafed lettuce

1. Cut the beef into cubes. We just cut a thick piece of rib-eye steak into pieces. Into a medium bowl, add finely minced garlic, sugar and pepper. Add the meat and add enough oyster sauce so that the meat is coated. Cover, place in the fridge, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Slice the onion into wedges. Separate the leaves of the lettuce, wash, and rip into palm-sized pieces. Allow leaves to drain.

3. Cook in small batches. If you cook all of the meat and onions at once, the meat doesn't get to caramelize and may release a lot of liquid. I'm going to estimate how many batches to make. Basically, the meat should not crowd into the pan and have about 1/2 inch space. I'm going to guess two or three batches.

4. Heat up the largest pan you have with some oil on high heat. Add the first batch of onions and stir frequently. When the onions are starting to brown, add the first batch of the meat. Allow the meat to cook undisturbed so that the sugars can caramelize. Stir about every 15 seconds. When the meat looks browned on the outside, it will probably be fully cooked. The meat should about 3 minutes.

5. Lay leaves of lettuce on a plate. Lay the meat on top of the bed of lettuce. The lettuce will be slightly wilted, and yummy.