🥘 Ingredients

Vietnamese Flank Steak

• 2 lb / 32 oz (907 g) flank steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 tbsp (15 g) garlic-infused olive oil

• 2 tbsp (30 g) low-sodium tamari, FODMAP-friendly

• 1 tbsp (15 g) fish sauce, check label for no onion or garlic

• 2 tbsp (30 g) fresh lime juice

• 1 tsp (2 g) lime zest

• 1 stalk (15 g) lemongrass, white part only, finely minced

• 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tbsp (12 g) brown sugar

• 1 tsp (3 g) smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper

Lime Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp (30 g) fresh lime juice

• 1 tbsp (15 g) fish sauce

• 1 tsp (4 g) brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper

Ginger Rice

• 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice, dry

• 3 cups (720 g) low-sodium chicken broth, FODMAP-friendly

• 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger, grated, stirred in before cooking

• 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt

• 2 tbsp (30 g) fresh lime juice, stirred in after cooking

• 1 tsp (2 g) lime zest, stirred in after cooking

Zucchini

• 3 medium (540 g) zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons

• 1 tbsp (15 g) garlic-infused olive oil, completes the 2 tbsp total oil budget

• 1 tbsp (15 g) low-sodium tamari, FODMAP-friendly

• 1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh lime juice

• 1/4 tsp (1 g) black pepper

Garnish

• 4 stalks (60 g) green onions, green tops only, thinly sliced

• 3 tbsp (12 g) fresh cilantro, chopped

• 2 tbsp (18 g) crushed peanuts, optional, FODMAP-safe at this quantity

• 2 medium (160 g) limes, cut into wedges

🔪 Instructions

1. Marinate the beef. Whisk together tamari, fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and black pepper in a bowl. Add the flank steak cubes and toss well to coat. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes while the rice starts.

2. Start the rice. Combine jasmine rice, broth, ginger, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stir once, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, steam covered 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, then stir in lime juice and lime zest. Keep covered to stay warm.

3. Make the dipping sauce. Stir together lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside for serving.

4. Cook the zucchini. Heat garlic-infused olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and toss to coat. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until just tender with golden edges. Add tamari, ginger, lime juice, and pepper, toss 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

5. Sear the beef. In the same skillet over high heat, add garlic-infused olive oil and heat until nearly smoking. Add the beef cubes in a single layer, shaking off excess marinade and reserving it. Sear undisturbed 2 minutes, then shake the pan and toss to sear the other sides, another 2 to 3 minutes, until browned outside and medium within. This tossing motion is what gives shaking beef its name. Work in batches so the pan is not crowded. In the last minute, pour in the reserved marinade and let it reduce into a caramelized glaze over the cubes.

6. Serve. Plate the ginger lime rice, top with the shaking beef and its pan glaze, zucchini alongside. Garnish with green onion tops, cilantro, crushed peanuts if using, and a lime wedge. Serve the lime dipping sauce on the side for spooning over the beef.

Approximate Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: ~585

• Protein: ~44 g

• Carbohydrates: ~68 g

• Fat: ~16 g

Notes

• What makes it Vietnamese, not Thai. Both profiles use fish sauce and lime, but they land in very different places. This dish, bo luc lac or shaking beef, leans on a savory, caramelized tamari and lemongrass sear with a sharp lime dipping sauce as the bright counterpoint. The Thai basil turkey from earlier in the rotation led with fresh basil and chili heat. Here there is no basil, and the character comes from the caramelized glaze and the fresh lime dip instead.

• The shaking technique. The name comes from the constant shaking and tossing of the pan as the beef cubes sear, which browns them on all sides while keeping the interior tender and medium. Keep the heat high and the pan uncrowded, working in batches, so the cubes sear rather than steam.

• Lime dipping sauce is traditional. Serving a simple lime, fish sauce, and pepper dip on the side is authentic and lets you brighten each bite to taste. It is the classic accompaniment to shaking beef.

• Fish sauce FODMAP check. Pure fish sauce, made only from anchovies and salt, is low FODMAP. Some brands add garlic, so check the label. Red Boat is a reliable single-ingredient option.

• Lemongrass tip. Use only the pale white lower portion of the stalk. Peel away the tough outer layers and mince the tender core finely. If you cannot find fresh, use 1 tsp of lemongrass paste, checked for onion and garlic.

• Brown sugar note. Combined across the marinade and the dipping sauce, this recipe uses well under 2 tbsp of brown sugar across 6 servings, within FODMAP limits, and it is what creates the signature caramelized glaze.

• Peanut note. Peanuts are low FODMAP at 2 tbsp (32 g) per serving. This recipe uses 2 tbsp total across all 6 servings as a garnish, so they fall safely within range.

• Tamari check. Confirm no wheat, onion, or garlic on the label.

• Broth check. Confirm no onion or garlic on the label.