Cambodian Lemongrass Beef Skewers - Sach Ko Jakak

Cambodian style marinated lemongrass beef skewers grilled to perfection.

Grilled lemongrass beef skewers known as Sach Ko Jakak in Khmer is marinated with a signature base known as kroueng. Kroueng is a paste commonly used in most Cambodian dishes and made up of lemongrass, galangal, tumeric powder, garlic and kaffir lime leaves all pounded together in a mortar and pestle to form a paste. If you prefer a kick, you can add some Thai chilis into the mixture.

Ingredients:

1 whole steak - approx 1 lb (Ribeye, NY strip, sirloin)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 stalks lemongrass

1 tbsp galangal

2 Thai chilis

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp chicken bouillon

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Visual Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the kroueng by slicing lemongrass and galangal, peeling garlic and setting aside the chili and lime leaves.

Step 2: In a mortar and pestle, pound lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and garlic until finely grounded.

By this point, your mixture should look like this

Step 3: Add the chili and turmeric powder and continue to beat the mixture.

Your mixture should look like this by this point, you can continue to pound it more if you prefer a smoother base but we usually leave it a bit chunky for marinating beef in this case. Using the mortar and pestle is the traditional way but if you're short on time, a food processor will do just fine.

Step 4: Prepare your steak by cutting it into thin strips, you'll want even strips so the beef will cook evenly.

Step 5: In a large bowl, add the beef as well as fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, oyster sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil and black pepper.

Step 6: Add the kroueng mixture and mix until evenly coated.

Step 7: Marinate beef for at least 1 hour in the fridge. In the meantime, soak the skewers sticks in water.

Step 8: Take the soaked skewer sticks and skew the marinated beef, leaving some room at the bottom for holding.

Step 9: Once all the skewers are prepared, heat up the grill to medium heat and place skewers onto the grill top.

Step 10: Grill beef for about 10 mins or until slightly charred on the edges.

Remove from grill and serve!

This recipe makes approximately 10 skewers.

Directions:

1. Prepare the kroueng by slicing lemongrass and galangal, peeling garlic and setting aside the chili and lime leaves.

2. In a mortar and pestle, pound lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves and garlic until finely grounded.

3. Add the chili and turmeric powder and continue to beat the mixture.

4. Prepare your steak by cutting it into thin strips, you'll want even strips so the beef will cook evenly.

5. In a large bowl, add the beef as well as fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, oyster sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil and black pepper.

6. Add the kroueng mixture and mix until evenly coated.

7. Marinate beef for at least 1 hour in the fridge. In the meantime, soak the skewers sticks in water.

8. Take the soaked skewer sticks and skew the marinated beef, leaving some room at the bottom for holding.

9. Once all the skewers are prepared, heat up the grill to medium heat and place skewers onto the grill top.

10. Grill beef for about 10 mins or until slightly charred on the edges.

11. Remove from grill and serve!