Beef Entertaining Asian

Beef and lemongrass wrapped in betel leaf

Name: Luke Nguyen's beef and lemongrass in betel leaves recipe
Yield: 20
Cuisine: /asian
Ingredients: 20 large betel leaves, or 40 small (see note); 100g dried rice vermicelli noodles, soaked according to packet instructions; Fried shallots, to serve; Crushed roasted peanuts, to serve; Thinly sliced long red chillies, to serve; 40.00 ml caster sugar; 125ml water; 60ml fish sauce; 60ml white vinegar; 40.00 ml lime juice; 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped; 2.00 garlic clove, crushed; 500g beef mince; 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped; 4 long green shallots, white part only, finely chopped; 2 tsp white pepper

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Beef and lemongrass wrapped in betel leaf

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Oct 10, 2024

'Australia has the best beef in the world, and it’s what I miss most when I’m in Vietnam. When I return to Australia, the first thing I do is visit my local butcher and buy some high-grade wagyu and cook it on the barbecue. This is the perfect dish to cook for family or friends. Each guest can help wrap and roll the betel leaves, and once you place them on the barbecue, the most incredible sweet aroma wafts through the air, reminiscent of the streets of Vietnam." - Luke Nguyen

This recipe is by Luke Nguyen

20 large betel leaves, or 40 small (see note)
100g dried rice vermicelli noodles, soaked according to packet instructions
Fried shallots, to serve
Crushed roasted peanuts, to serve
Thinly sliced long red chillies, to serve

Nuoc mam cham

2 tbs caster sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) hot water
1/4 cup (60ml) fish sauce
1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
2 tbs lime juice
1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed

Beef marinade

500g beef mince
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
4 long green shallots, white part only, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp white pepper

Method

1.

To marinate beef, combine all ingredients in a large bowl with 2 tsp salt flakes. Cover and stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2.

To make nuoc mam cham, dissolve sugar in the hot water. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cool to room temperature.
3.

To make rolls, lay a large betel leaf (or two smaller leaves), shiny-side down, on a board with the stem-end of the leaf pointing towards you. Spoon about 1 tbs beef mixture onto the bottom edge of the leaf. Using your hands, work mixture into a sausage shape, then roll the leaf from bottom to top, folding in sides to enclose. Place seam-side down on your board to prevent the leaf unrolling. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and leaves to make about 20 rolls.
4.

Cook rolls, in batches if necessary, seam-side down, on a lightly greased chargrill pan or barbecue hotplate over medium heat, for 5-6 minutes, turning frequently to colour all over, until firm and cooked through.
5.

Arrange parcels over a bed of vermicelli noodles. Drizzle with the nuoc mam cham, garnish with fried shallots, peanuts and chilli, and serve.

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Recipe Notes

Betel leaves are available from Asian grocers. They have a distinctive, mildly pungent taste with a hint of bitterness and a spicy aroma. Use 2 small leaves to wrap if leaves are not big enough. Substitute English spinach leaves, torn if large.