Adam Liaw’s lemongrass beef rice paper rolls

Name: Adam Liaw’s lemongrass beef rice paper rolls
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: About 12
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic; 1 stalk lemongrass, white inner part only; 8 black peppercorns; 300g very thinly sliced beef skirt (available frozen from Asian grocers), thawed; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 75g dried rice vermicelli; about 12 sheets of rice paper; ½ cup fried Asian shallots (available fromAsian grocers); 2 tbsp fried garlic (available from Asiangrocers); 2 cups shredded lettuce; 3 cups mixed fresh herbs, such as coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint and Thai basil

Adam Liaw

January 23, 2024

Lemongrass beef rice paper rolls.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourMakes:About 12

Thinly slicing the beef simplifies the process of making this dish.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemongrass, white inner part only
8 black peppercorns
300g very thinly sliced beef skirt (available frozen from Asian grocers), thawed
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
75g dried rice vermicelli
about 12 sheets of rice paper
½ cup fried Asian shallots (available from
Asian grocers)
2 tbsp fried garlic (available from Asian
grocers)
2 cups shredded lettuce
3 cups mixed fresh herbs, such as coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint and Thai basil

Nuoc cham

75g caster sugar
75ml fish sauce
50ml white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bird’s eye chillies, seeds removed, minced

Method

Step 1
Pound the garlic, lemongrass and peppercorns using a mortar and pestle. In a bowl, combine the garlic and lemongrass paste with the beef and fish sauce and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Heat a frypan over high heat and add the oil. Fry the beef until just cooked, then remove to a plate.
Step 2
For the nuoc cham, combine the ingredients in a bowl with 100ml of water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Stand for 15 minutes and stir again.
Step 3
Place the vermicelli in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Stand for 5 minutes, rinse under cold water until completely cool, then drain.
Step 4
Dip the rice paper into a large bowl of lukewarm water and rotate until slightly soft but still the texture of cellophane. Spread the first sheet on a board or plate and scatter with a bit of fried shallots and garlic. Place a small amount of beef in the centre, towards
the bottom edge, and a little vermicelli, lettuce and herbs on top. Roll to enclose the filling, folding in the sides to form a shape like a spring roll. Repeat, then serve with the nuoc cham.

Adam’s tip: Taste the nuoc cham as you make it, adjusting the amount of vinegar, sugar or fish sauce to suit.