Cambodian beef lok lak recipe

Lok lak is a Cambodian beef stir fry served with onions, cucumbers and tomatoes, and dipped in a sauce containing lime juice, salt and pepper.

Chicken can be used as an alternative and for vegetarians use tofu.

It is commonly served with rice, a fried egg and a separate plate of lettuce leaves. The lettuce leaves are used to wrap the beef inside and then dip into the sauce.

Lettuce are commonly served with Cambodian beef lok lak along with a fried egg

We took a cooking course in Siem Reap with our friend Jess and had to fight over the end result as this recipe was sufficient to feed only 2 greedy boys.

In Siem Reap we took a cooking class with our friend Jess

Ingredients for beef lok lak

• 300g beef cut thin slice
• 60g of light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of black ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon of fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Ingredients for serving the beef lok lak

• 1 fried egg (optional)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber peeled and finely sliced
• half an onion peeled and finely sliced
• 1 spring onion finely chopped
• 100g of iceberg lettuce

Ingredients for beef lok lak dipping sauce

• juice of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons of black ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of water

Cooking class in Siem Reap

How to make beef lok lak

1. In a large bowl, mix the beef with 60g of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of black ground pepper and the 2 chopped garlic cloves. Let it rest for 1 hour in the fridge.
2. In the meantime, combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl then cover with cling film and keep refrigerated until serving.
3. Decorate 2 serving plates with the ingredients for serving: sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped spring onion and in a separate plate place the lettuce. If serving a fried egg, prepare this and serve in each plate as well with a serving of rice as well.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil on high heat then add the marinated beef and stir fry it for around 4-5 minutes: until it is cooked.
5. Divide the beef between the two serving plates.

Stefan proudly showing off his freshly made Cambodian beef lok lak at our cooking course in Siem Reap

You can read more about our experiences discovering food in Cambodia and watch our Cambodia travel video.