Curry-Scented Grilled Beef Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• Brimming 1/3 cup unsalted roasted peanuts or cashews, finely chopped
• 3 medium green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Madras-style curry powder, preferably Sun brand
• 3/4 teaspoon recently ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons water
• Brimming 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, or 3 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup warm water, or as needed
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar, optional
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced; or 2 to 3 teaspoons chile garlic sauce or sambal oelek, optional
• 1 large garlic clove, minced, optional
• 1/2 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks or coarsely grated, optional
• 6 ounces small dried round rice noodles, or 8 ounces dried rice capellini or thin spaghetti
• Leaves from 1 large head of soft-leaf lettuce
• 6 to 8 bushy sprigs fresh mint or basil
• 10 to 12 sprigs fresh cilantro
• 1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced; or 2 to 3 teaspoons chile garlic sauce or sambal oelek
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks or coarsely grated

Directions

1. Start with the beef mixture. In a medium bowl, stir together the peanuts and green onions with the curry powder, black pepper, and water. Mix in the oyster sauce and fish sauce, then add the beef and work everything together with your fingers. If you are waiting to cook, cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture for up to 24 hours.
2. Shape the mixture into 24 patties; each one should be a generous 2 inches across and 1/2 inch thick. Set them aside while you make the sauce.
3. For the nuoc cham, make a sweet-tart base in a small bowl with the water, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and either 2 tablespoons sugar or 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Taste it as if it were limeade. If the balance needs adjusting, add the reserved sweetener: 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or 1 tablespoon maple syrup. For more tang, add 1 tablespoon lime juice; if the flavor gets too intense, loosen it with water. A harsh sour-bitter note can be rounded by stirring in the vinegar.
4. Stir fish sauce into the bowl, using the amount that tastes right for your brand and palate. You want the finish to be bold and direct, since the lettuce, herbs, and noodles will mellow everything once you start wrapping. Add chiles, garlic, and/or carrot if you want them; if heat is a concern, serve the chiles separately. The sauce may stand at room temperature for up to 8 hours before serving.
5. For the noodles, fill a large pot with unsalted water and bring it to a boil. Add the noodles, let the water come back to a boil, and cook until they are tender with a little chew. Package timing may lead you astray, so taste a strand; depending on the noodles, this can take 2 to 8 minutes. Drain them, rinse under water, drain once more, then cool for 5 minutes.
6. Because the noodles like to tangle, set them on a plate or in a shallow bowl in 2-inch nests. Bring them to the table alongside the sauce, the lettuce, and the herbs.
7. To cook the patties, brush a cast-iron grill pan for the stove lightly with oil, or coat a heavy skillet with a thin film of oil, and heat it over medium-high. In batches, place the beef in the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the patties are medium to medium-well. They are not generally served medium-rare, though you may shorten the cooking time if you prefer. Move the cooked patties to a platter and let them cool for a few minutes.
8. To eat, tuck beef, herbs, and noodles into lettuce leaves. If the patties feel bulky, tear or slice each one into a few bite-size pieces. Serve the sauce communally at the table, or divide it among small bowls before serving. Dip the wraps in the sauce, then dig in.