Lok lak

On our very first evening in Phnom Penh, at a restaurant run by Khmer women, we discovered lok lak. And we were hooked straight away! We kept ordering it throughout our trip around Cambodia. It was always delicious, generously served, and quickly became one of our favourite dishes.

Lok lak is made with bite-sized pieces of beef, quickly stir-fried over high heat with garlic and a savoury sauce, often combining soy sauce, oyster sauce and pepper. It is usually served with steamed rice, lettuce, cucumber and sometimes tomato or a fried egg. Our plate came with a neat mound of rice, beautifully sauced beef and a golden fried egg.

One of the best touches is the lime-and-pepper dipping sauce. When Kampot pepper is used, it brings an especially lovely aroma. Lok lak is now a staple of Cambodian dining, although its precise origins and regional influences are still debated.

We loved how something so simple could taste so good: tender beef, a rich sauce, fresh vegetables and rice to soak everything up. Nothing complicated, just a dish we were always happy to see on the menu again.