Fragrant Grilled Beef Bundles (Bo Nuong La Lot)
A Vietnamese-style snack of marinated beef strips, jicama, and basil wrapped in wild betel leaves and grilled.
Ingredients
flank steak (cut into 20 slices)
8 ounces
lemongrass (trimmed and finely chopped)
1 plump stalk (3 tablespoons)
honey
1½ tablespoons
fish sauce (plus more for serving)
1 tablespoon
vegetable oil (plus more for brushing)
1 tablespoon
garlic (1 clove minced and 3 cloves sliced paper thin)
4 cloves
kosher salt
1½ teaspoons
five-spice powder
1 teaspoon
wild betel leaves (40 to 50 large leaves)
5 ounces
jicama (Mexican turnip) (peeled and cut into 40 julienne pieces)
4 ounces (½ small)
Thai basil leaves
20
Green Onion Oil (recipe follows)
crushed roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons
Instructions
1
Step 1
Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for at least 1 hour.
2
Step 2
Keep the beef semi-frozen while cutting for easier slicing (if fresh, place it in the freezer for about 30 minutes). Cut the beef along the grain into 1.5-inch thick strips. Then, holding the knife almost parallel to the cutting board, slice the meat diagonally into ¼-inch thick pieces, 20 pieces total.
3
Step 3
In a bowl, combine the steak with the lemongrass, honey, fish sauce, oil, minced garlic, salt, and five-spice powder. Marinate for 15 minutes.
4
Step 4
Strip the leaves from the central stem. Trim off any protruding stems. Place two overlapping leaves on the work surface, matte side up, with the leaf tips pointing outward. The two leaves must form a wrapper large enough that the sides can fold up and completely enclose a steak strip. Place a strip of steak in the center of the leaves. Top the meat with 2 pieces of jicama, 1 basil leaf, and 2 pieces of garlic. Fold the sides of the leaves over the filling and roll into a tight bundle. Make a second bundle. Thread the two bundles horizontally onto a skewer, making sure they are secure and hold their shape. Repeat with the remaining leaves, meat, vegetables, and skewers.
5
Step 5
Preheat a gas grill to medium heat, or prepare a medium charcoal fire (you can hold your hand over the grill for only 4 to 5 seconds), which is the traditional way to cook the bundles.
6
Step 6
Brush oil on all surfaces of the bundles. Grill them, turning frequently to prevent the leaves from burning, until the leaves are lightly charred but not burned, 6 to 8 minutes.
7
Step 7
Pour the green onion oil onto a plate and arrange the beef bundles on top. Sprinkle with the crushed peanuts. Serve as an appetizer or snack, with a small dish of fish sauce for dipping.
