Barbecue Beef Spring Rolls

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 500 gm boneless beef round (1 inch thick)
• 2 stalks fresh lemongrass (or 2 tablespoons dried lemongrass soaked in warm water for 1 hour)
• 2 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 fresh chili
• 1 tblsp sugar
• 1 tblsp Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 1 tblsp Asian sesame oil
• 1 tblsp sesame seeds
• 50 gm dried rice stick noodles - rehydrate in a bowl with boiling water
• 12 large red lettuce leaves
• 1 small English cucumber, peeled and julienned
• 24 fresh mint leaves
• 36 fresh coriander leaves, each with a little stem
• Nuoc Cham Dipping sauce – recipe below
• 12-inch dried rice paper circles rehydrated - dip in water, place between damp kitchen paper.

Vietnamese Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

Grind 4 garlic cloves, 2 fresh chiles (preferably serrano), and 2 tablespoons sugar into a paste in a mortar, blender, or mini-food processor. Stir in 6 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam), 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 6 to 8 tablespoons water. Strain into a dipping bowl.

Method

Cut the beef into 8cm by 2cm pieces. Slice each piece across the grain into ½ cm thick strips.

Blend lemon grass in a food processor with the shallots, garlic, chili and sugar; process into a paste, mix in a bowl with the fish sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Add the beef slices, mix, and marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Arrange the rice stick noodles, lettuce, cucumber strips, mint, and coriander in separate piles on a platter, leaving space for the beef. Refrigerate.

Just before serving, toss the beef strips for 30 seconds on each side on a hot BBQ, just until nicely seared. Arrange the beef on the platter.

Each guest rolls their own.

To make a spring roll, lay a lettuce leaf on the bottom third of the moistened circle. Top it with 2 or 3 slices of beef, a large tablespoon of noodles, several strips of cucumber, and a few leaves of mint and coriander. Fold the near edge of the paper over the filling, then roll up the paper around the filling, keeping it taut. Halfway through, fold over one end to enclose the filling, then continue rolling. Dip the open end of the roll into the dipping sauce and eat with your fingers.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Syrah
Sacred Hill 2010

Beer
Monteith's Single Source Lager