Chip Challenge #1: Bo Luc Lac (Shaken Beef)

I am proud to present to you the first of the Chip Challenges! As you know, I generally take on the role of Head Chef at home and my boyfriend, the sous-chef. Well, ladies and gentlemen, as of now, once a week, the roles are reversed! My boyfriend aka Chip (short for Chipmunk, my nickname for him hehe) will be cooking a delicious vietnamese dish every week.

This week, Chef Chip is making Bo Luc Lac (Translation: Shaken Beef). Isn't this the cutest name? It actually describes the "shaking" of the beef back and forth in the wok when making this dish.

Bo luc lac (Shaken Beef)

Serves 4

Adapted from Ravenous Couple's blog

Ingredients

Beef Marinade

3/4 lbs beef sirloin (or any cut you like) cut into 1″ cubes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

Vinaigrette

1/2 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch of watercress, long stems trimmed

1 tomato, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cooking oil for frying

Directions

1. Combine the garlic, oyster sauce, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil with the beef. Let marinate for at least half an hour, but preferably 1-2 hours.

2. Prepare vinaigrette by mixing rice vinegar with salt and sugar.

3. Pour about 3-4 tablespoons of the vinaigrette on the thinly sliced red onions and set aside covered in fridge for about 10 minutes. Prepare bed of watercress and tomatoes in a serving platter and set aside.

4. Heat the cooking oil in a large wok or pan over high heat. When it begins to smoke, add an even layer of beef and allow to sear for about 30 seconds, before “shaking” to sear the opposite sides for another 30 seconds to brown all the sides. Do this in batches to cook all the beef if necessary.

5. Transfer the beef to the bed of watercress and tomatoes. Drizzle another 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over the beef and greens and top with pickled red onions.

Y was seriously craving bo luc lac this week. He ate it recently at a restaurant and was continuously thinking about it so he decided to make his own. I thought it came out pretty good, although he says it didn't taste quite like the one at the restaurant. He's still on the lookout for the perfect bo luc lac recipe!

I'm ashamed to say that I've been neglecting my Sunday Brunch series (same old lame excuse - too lazy/busy to cook in the morning!) so the Chip Challenges will replace it until I find more time in my schedule (or when I feel less lazy hehe). I find it so overwhelming to cook 7 days a week and I welcome the Chip Challenges with open arms. I hope you enjoyed this recipe!

Lyla aka Vietnamese Grill Heaven

Lyla is my family's go-to restaurant when we are craving pho or grilled meat. Located on Jean-Talon, near Park metro, you can find plenty of parking spaces in front of the restaurant (although you need to pay for the parking meter) or in the small side streets. Its modern decor and cleanliness sets it apart from most vietnamese pho restaurants. At Lyla, you don't need to wipe your chopsticks and spoon before using them. :)

We tried out the restaurant when it first opened 8 years ago, it received the nod of approval from my mother (who is very picky about vietnamese food) and we have been going there ever since. The pho is quite tasty, but as the years went by, the portion has been getting smaller and smaller. A large bowl doesn't quite fill me up anymore. How do I satisfy my huge appetite? Two words: Grilled meat! Whether you choose chicken, beef or pork, they are seasoned and grilled to perfection and served with nuoc mam (vietnamese fish sauce), fresh salad and your choice of vermicelli or rice.

Since we haven't been to Lyla for a while, my dad, sister, boyfriend and I decided to go to the there for supper last Thursday. My mom has to work and couldn't join us unfortunately. :(

My dad, boyfriend and I all ordered the bun thit nuong cha gio (vermicelli with grilled pork and spring roll). It was delicious! The spring roll was crispy and flavorful.

My sister took a combo (as she always does, the pig! lol). It came with a small bowl of pho (not pictured) and a plate of grilled chicken with rice and a spring roll. I tasted this dish in the past and let me tell you, it is de-lec-table!

My father and boyfriend each ordered a ca phe sua da (vietnamese iced coffee). It is coffee brewed with a small metal drip filter, then mixed with sweetened condensed milk and poured over ice. This one was sweeter than what I'm used to, but since I LOVE sweet drinks/desserts, I didn't mind it at all.

I kept the best for last. Every time I go to Lyla, I HAVE to order this drink: sinh to sau rieng (durian smoothie). I don't care what people say, I think durians smell (and taste) delicious! If you have never tried durian, you are missing out on A LOT! Lyla uses real durian in their smoothies. I know because the whole restaurant smells when they make my smoothie! haha. If you find the smell of durian off-putting, the smoothies also come in other exotic flavors: jack fruit, sour sop and other I can't remember.

Lyla offers an array of flavorful and authentic vietnamese dishes and it will remain a staple among my family for many years to come. I know I will always come back for the durian smoothie! :)

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Setting: 4.5/5

Value: 4/5

Overall: 4.2/5

Location:

405 Jean-Talon W.

Montreal, Qc H3N 1P9

(514) 272-8332