Fragrantly seasoned grilled rolls of beef wrapped up in wild
betel leaf (lá lốt) are a favorite Vietnamese snack that’s great with cold beer
or white wine. When the rolls are cooking, the perfume of Piper sarmentosum is
mesmerizing and fills the room. Shiny on one side and matted on the other, the soft, pliable leaves don’t have
much character until heat is applied to them, at which point they release their
sweetly spicy, incense-like fragrance. (Many recipes suggest substitute grape leaves but what's the use? Those leaves are devoid of the fragrance that these have and that's the beauty of this special ingredient!)
Lá lốt (“lah loht”) is sold at many Vietnamese and Chinese
markets on Styrofoam trays. Look for ones with healthy green color on the
leaves. The heart-shaped leaves are shiny on one side and matted on the other.
A few holes here and there are okay. Once home, snip off the bottom ½ inch of stem and put the leaves in a small
container partially filled with water. Loosely cover with a plastic bag and
refrigerate for up to four days. I’ve found that this is the best way to keep
them fresh and perky.
There are two seasoning options here. You can play with it by mixing up the seasonings first, tasting it and making any adjustments before adding the beef. Sun brand of curry powder, sold at many gourmet markets and even at Amazon (!), has wonderful sweet coriander and cumin notes that harmonizes super well with the betel leaves.
¼ cup minced scallion, green and white part
2 teaspoons fish sauce
Scant ½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder, Sun brand preferred
2 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass (about 1 medium-small
stalk)
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder, Sun brand preferred
¼ cup minced scallion, green and white part
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
About 4 ounces la lot leaves with the stems attached, enough
to yield 26 to 30 large leaves
1 tablespoon neutral flavored oil
1 recipe Basic Dipping Sauce (nuoc cham), made with the addition of minced garlic
Then roll up the meat in the leaf and use the little stem to
seal it up. The roll will keep its shape. Place the finished roll on a
foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining leaves until all the beef is
used. Rub a bit of oil on each roll when all of them are done.
4. To cook, position an oven rack on the top third of the oven and preheat to broil. Slip the baking sheet into the oven and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, turning them frequently to cook evenly and prevent too much charring of the leaf. The cooked rolls will feel firm, look a bit shriveled, and be slightly charred at the edges.
To grill the rolls, prepare a medium charcoal fire (you can hold your hand over the rack for only 4 to 5 seconds) or heat a gas grill to medium. Grill the rolls, with the top open most of the time so you may constantly monitor their progress and move them around to avoid burning the leaves. (The heat will go to about medium-low because you'll have the lid open.)
5. Transfer to a plate and serve with the dipping sauce. Leftovers reheat well in a toaster oven preheated to 350F.

