Fillet Bò Lúc Lắc with Tomato Butter Rice (Cơm Đỏ)

Method

1. Cut the fillet into 3 cm cubes and pat thoroughly dry. Toss with part of the minced garlic, the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, part of the sugar, half the pepper and a little oil, then refrigerate for 30 min. Take it out 10 minutes before cooking.

   Add in this stepBeef fillet (tenderloin) 320 gGarlic cloves 1½Oyster sauce 1 tbspSoy sauce 2 tspFish sauce 1 tspSugar 1¼ tspCoarsely ground black pepper 0.4 tspNeutral oil ½ tbsp

2. Quick-pickled onion: slice the red onion paper-thin and toss with the rice vinegar, the rest of the sugar and part of the salt. Leave for 15 min; it turns pink and translucent and loses its harsh bite.

   Add in this stepRed onion ½Rice vinegar 2 tbspSugar ¾ tspSalt ¼ tsp

3. Cơm đỏ (tomato rice): melt part of the butter in a 26 cm pan on medium heat, add a little garlic until fragrant, then the tomato paste, and cook for 1 min to lose its raw taste. Add the rice and part of the salt and stir-fry for 5 min, breaking up clumps, until every grain is evenly red and separate. Cover to keep warm.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 14 gGarlic cloves 1Tomato paste 1 tbspCold cooked jasmine rice 360 gSalt ⅛ tsp

   medium heat

4. Heat a cast-iron pan empty on high heat for 3 min, then add the remaining oil. When the oil shimmers and starts to smoke, it's time for the beef.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 2 tbsp

   high heat

5. Lay the beef in a single layer with space between the cubes and sear on high heat, 3 min per batch, in 1 batch(es). Leave it untouched for the first minute to build a deep brown crust, then shake the pan to brown every side. Keep the inside pink (medium-rare), then move to a plate and rest for 2 minutes.

   high heat

6. Turn down to medium heat, add the remaining butter and garlic and let it foam for 1 min, until it smells nutty. Return the rested beef with its juices and shake the pan to coat in the butter sauce.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 21 gGarlic cloves 2½

   medium heat

7. Spread the watercress on plates, add halved cherry tomatoes and pickled onion, pile on the beef and serve the tomato rice alongside. Mix the lime juice with the remaining salt and pepper in a small dish for dipping.

   Add in this stepWatercress 60 gCherry tomatoes 8Lime 1Salt 0.4 tspCoarsely ground black pepper 0.4 tsp