Bò Lá Lốt

Grilled Beef in Wild Betel Leaves


1/2 lb rump steak, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 pack wild betel leaves (20 leaves)
1 T vegetable oil
salt, pepper, sugar to taste

In a bowl, mix together steak, lemongrass, garlic, onion, 1/2 T oil, salt, pepper, sugar. Leave to marinade for 2 hours.
Wash wild betel leaves thoroughly.
Place a leaf on a board, upside down, put 1 teaspoon filling on about 1/3 of the way up. Fold the sides and roll the leaf. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
Brush some oil over. Grill on each side from 2-3 minutes.
Serve with pounded roasted peanut and anchovy and pineapple dipping sauce.

Anchovy and Pineapple sauce:
1 small can crushed pineapple
3 T anchovy sauce (mắm nêm)
2 T fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chile pepper, minced
2 T sugar
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T rice vinegar
1 stalk lemon grass, thinly sliced

Strain anchovy sauce, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids.
Stir in pinapple, anchovy sauce, fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, chile pepper. Stir to blend. Add lemon grass when served.