For me, there is no better start to the day than steak and eggs. It stands high in the ranks of any breakfast or brunch menu with the likes of Eggs Benedict or a hot stack of pancakes, and any diner worth visiting will serve a proper steak and eggs. We could keep it classic, with a nice ribeye or New York strip that’s grilled or seared to our liking and accompany that with a few “eggs your way.” I even like the idea of a nice piece of fatty smoked brisket with a scramble, but let’s introduce some big bright flavors that I really love!
Bò lúc lắc or “shaken beef” is a delicious and boldly flavored Vietnamese dish that’s common at most Vietnamese restaurants however traditionally, dishes with beef or meat were reserved for special occasions or considered a luxury. The beef is marinated in ingredients like oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice or a combination along with sugar not only to sweeten but to give caramelization and flavor from the browning sugars.
The dish is very easy to make and has a very quick cooking time as the beef is sliced thin or cut into small pieces and cooked in a hot pan or wok. The term “shaken” refers to the action preformed while cooking the dish, shaking the wok or vigorously tossing the beef to quickly sear all parts of the meat without overcooking. This technique is basically what you would do in a stir-fry and is a popular use of the wok.
So, in this version of steak and eggs, our twist is using this popular Vietnamese steak dish and all of its wonderful flavors to go along with some beautifully fluffy scrambled eggs. Scramble is my go-to egg preparation, but I do feel like it goes well in this dish because of the way the eggs take on the sauce from the recipe.
Other well-known dishes from Vietnam would be Pho, the brothy noodle dish or Banh Mi, a sub or hoagie shaped sandwich with meat, pickled veggies, and lots of fresh herbs. The flavors of Vietnam can be subtle or bold and occasionally spicy from chili sauce or fresh hot peppers.
If you aren’t familiar with much Vietnamese cuisine but you enjoy the flavors of Thai, Filipino, or Japanese please give this recipe a try!
"Shaken" Steak and Eggs
Serves: 3-4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 1 hour
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
1 lb filet mignon, ribeye or hanger steak, cut into small cubes
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
High heat neutral oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper
Fresh herbs like cilantro or sliced scallions
1. Combine beef and all the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl, toss to coat. Allow to marinate at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Heat a wide sauté pan or wok over high heat with the cooking oil. Add the beef and marinade to the pan.
3. Shake or toss the beef quickly allowing the beef to sear and sauce to thicken and caramelize.
4. In another small non-stick pan, melt the butter and scramble the beaten eggs.
5. Serve together, garnished with fresh herbs.
If you are interested in learning more about Asian flavors, we cover a variety of cuisines from across the different regions of Asia. One class I am particularly looking forward to is hands-on Japanese Homestyle Cooking coming up on Saturday, April 19 at 6pm at Lincoln Square.
We also have hands-on Date Night: Trip to Thailand on Friday, April 11 at 6pm or Saturday, April 26 at 6pm. Our March session of hands-on Ramen Workshop is sold out, but it's coming back in May, so don't miss signing up for Tuesday, May 6 at 6pm.
"Shaken" Steak and Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 lb filet mignon, ribeye or hanger steak, cut into small cubes
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- High heat neutral oil
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh herbs like cilantro or sliced scallions
Instructions
- Combine beef and all the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl, toss to coat. Allow to marinate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Heat a wide sauté pan or wok over high heat with the cooking oil. Add the beef and marinade to the pan.
- Shake or toss the beef quickly allowing the beef to sear and sauce to thicken and caramelize.
- In another small non-stick pan, melt the butter and scramble the beaten eggs.
- Serve together, garnished with fresh herbs.
