Ingredients
Skewers, choose freely
- 300 gbeef, in thin slices
- 300 gprawns, peeled
- 200 gsquid, in rings
- 200 gfish balls
- 200 gcuttlefish balls
- 200 gchicken, in thin slices
- 300 gmixed vegetables such as okra, cabbage, long beans and mushrooms
- 200 gtofu puffs
- 6quail eggs, boiled and peeled
Broth
- 3 litreswater
- 1onion, halved
- 1thumb ginger, sliced
- 2stock cubes
- 1 tbspsalt
Peanut sauce
- 200 groasted peanuts, ground
- 3 tbspsweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsphoisin
- 1 tbspsoy sauce
- 1 tbsptamarind paste
- 1 tspsugar
- hot water, to loosen
Other sauces
- sweet chilli sauce
- chilli and lime dipping sauce
- dark sweet soy sauce
Equipment
- bamboo skewers
- a wide shallow pot
Directions
- Use separate plates for raw and cooked skewers. Do not put a cooked skewer back down on the raw plate. Put the water in a wide shallow pot. Add the halved onion, sliced ginger, stock cubes and salt. Bring it to the boil and simmer for twenty minutes.
- Strain out all of the aromatics. The broth should be light, since it is not the point of the meal. Soak bamboo skewers in water for thirty minutes.
- Cut the meat into thin slices so it cooks in seconds. Thick pieces are the main reason people get undercooked meat. Thread two or three pieces onto each skewer. Do not pack them tight, since broth must reach between them.
- Thread prawns, squid rings and balls onto their own skewers. Thread vegetables separately, since they take different times. Lay everything out on separate trays. Keep the raw meat and seafood in the fridge until you start. Grind the roasted peanuts to a coarse paste. Mix them with the sweet chilli sauce, hoisin, soy and tamarind.
- Add the sugar and loosen it with hot water. It should be thick enough to coat a skewer but still pourable. Taste it: it should be sweet, salty, nutty and slightly sour. Put sweet chilli sauce in one bowl. Mix chopped chilli with lime juice and fish sauce for a sharp dip.
- Put dark sweet soy sauce in a third bowl. Now cooking, which is done by each person. Bring the pot to a full rolling boil at the table. Use a portable burner so it stays boiling. Each person takes a skewer and holds it in the broth. Cut into a piece of chicken before eating it. It should be completely opaque with no pink at all.
- Dip the cooked skewer into whichever sauce you want. Keep the used sticks beside your plate to be counted. Skim the broth occasionally as scum builds up. Top it up with boiling water as it reduces.
Technique
- Keep the pot at a rolling boil, not a simmer, since raw meat is going into it.
- Use separate plates for raw and cooked skewers.
- Slice meat thin, since thick pieces are the usual cause of undercooked skewers.
Substitutions
- Any combination of meat, seafood, tofu and vegetables.
- A hotpot burner in place of a street van counter.
Variations
- Vegetarian, with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables only.
- With a spicier tom yum broth.
- Grilled rather than boiled, which some vans also offer.
History
Sold from converted vans at Malaysian night stops, with the bill counted from the coloured skewer sticks.
Frequently asked questions
What is Lok Lok?
Lok Lok is a street food from Malaysia: skewers of meat, seafood and vegetables dunked in shared boiling pots roadside. Sold from converted vans at Malaysian night stops, with the bill counted from the coloured skewer sticks.
How long does Lok Lok take to make?
Lok Lok takes 40 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Lok Lok?
Yes, within limits. Any combination of meat, seafood, tofu and vegetables. A hotpot burner in place of a street van counter.
What is the most important thing to get right in Lok Lok?
Use separate plates for raw and cooked skewers. Do not put a cooked skewer back down on the raw plate. Put the water in a wide shallow pot. Add the halved onion, sliced ginger, stock cubes and salt. Bring it to the boil and simmer for twenty minutes.
