Curry-Scented Grilled Beef Lettuce Wraps
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Category
Main Dish
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Cusine
Vietnamese
What do you need?
How to make?
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
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
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
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped peanuts, green onions, curry powder, black pepper, water, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. Add the beef and mix with your fingers.
Form into 24 patties, each a good 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the sugar , 3 tablespoons of the lime juice, and the water. Taste the limeade and, if needed, add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and/or 1 tablespoon lime juice; dilute with water if you go too far. If there’s an unpleasant tart-bitter edge, add the vinegar to fix the flavor.
Add the fish sauce to the bowl; how much you use depends on the brand and your own taste. Aim for a bold, forward finish that’s a little gutsy. If desired, add the chiles, garlic, and/or carrot. The sauce can sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours until serving.
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil, add the noodles, and return to a boil. Cook until tender-chewy , drain, rinse with water, drain again, and let cool for 5 minutes.
Since the noodles are unwieldy, arrange them as 2-inch nests on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Set at the table with the dipping sauce, lettuce, and fresh herbs.
Lightly oil a cast iron stove-top grill pan and set over medium-high heat. In batches, add the beef and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, turning midway, until medium to medium-well done. Transfer to a platter and let cool for a few minutes.
Have diners build lettuce wraps with herbs, noodles, and beef. For easier eating, you can break or cut each patty into a few bite-size pieces. Set the sauce at the table so diners may help themselves, or portion it out in small bowls in advance of serving. Dunk in the sauce and eat.