Vietnamese Beef Rolls

This is a very tasty rolls that everyone must try.  Surprise your guests with this tasty appetiser/snack.

Ingredients A
1 stalk lemon grass (slice it first, before blending, use only the white part of the stem)
2 shallots or 1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbls sugar

Ingredients B
1 tbls fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp black pepper or more if you like
1 tbls sesame seeds

500gm sirloin or fillet steak
1 tbls oil/ butter
12 lettuce leaves
12 rice papers (soak in warm water)
Mint leaves
Fresh Coriander - I used Thai basil

Blend ingredients A to a paste.  You can add a little more fish sauce  if you find the mixture is a little dry.  Add ingredients B and mix the marinade well.  Marinade it over the beef  at least 1 hour.  I did it overnight to get a really tasty beef.

Heat oil/ butter in frying pan.  You can opt to grill if you like.  Heat on high for 1 - 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer to cool, once cool, slice thinly.

Just like in my other rolls recipes, the method is the same.  Just make sure that the rolls are not kept to close to each other as they will stick.

Enjoy this rolls with Nuoc Cham sauce.

Ingredients for Nuoc Cham

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup Fish sauce - I used 3 crab brand
1/4 cub White vinegar
1/2 of a lime juice
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
2-3 Thai Chilli pepper ( I did more coz I love the spicy kick!)

Combine warm water with sugar in a jar, make sure its dissolved.  Add the rest of the ingredients and flavour it to you own liking.  You can store the left over in the fridge.

Vietnamese Crab Mango Rolls

I just love eating Spring Rolls.  Most spring rolls are known to be deep fried. Yes...those deep fried spring rolls are my favourites too. But, this Vietnamese rolls is so refreshing and you can make it as a snack or appetiser. No frying needed.  It is not difficult to make, but it may take a little bit of your time.

Here is the recipe :-

Fillings
60gm rice vermiceli /suhoon (soaked in hot water till soft, drained well)
1 firm ripe mango (peel and cut lengthwise)
100 gm lettuce
8 or more rice papers
150gm - artificial crab meat (cut halve)
Mint leaves
4tbls sweet chilli sauce
4 Nori Sheets

Dip Sauce
1 lime
2 tblsp roasted cashew
Sweet chilli sauce

Soak one rice paper in a curve plate at a time, once it is soft take it out and lay it flat on your working top or plate, while working with the rolls soak new rice paper, make sure it is not soaked too long as it tend to get very soft and difficult to work with.
Layerd it with lettuce as base, top with a little rice vermicelli, crab meat, mint, and drizzle with sweet chilli sauce.  Fold both of the sides and wrap tightly.  Cut Nori to three quarter length and wrapped over the rolls.  It will stick immediately.  I would advice to make it before serving to prevent dryness.  You can keep in an air tight container separate by baking sheet and add the nori sheets only later on.

As for the dip sauce, squeeze one lime mix with sweet chilli sauce and scattered with some broken cashew nuts.  Just mix all together to get the paste and taste that you want.  Here is one that I made earlier.

Enjoy....and tell me what you think when you have tasted it !