Unlike industrially grown piper lolot leaves that are usually thin and bland, Southern garden piper lolot leaves have a large, almost hand-shaped blade, thick, and imbued with wind and rain, so when eaten, they have a characteristic sweet taste.
To prepare the dish, people often choose leaves that are neither too young nor too old, wash them thoroughly and then dry them thoroughly to retain the entire layer of natural essential oil on the surface.
Below is a recipe for 2-3 people to eat.
Preparation
Beef: 400g (choose soft meat such as tenderloin or thigh, mince or grind roughly to maintain sweetness, avoid grinding too finely).
Pork fat: 100g.
Garden gourd leaves: Choose medium-sized leaves (not too young or too old), palm-sized leaves, lush green and thick.
Accompanying spices: minced lemongrass, shallots, garlic, five-spice powder, oyster sauce, crushed peppercorns and a little honey.
Implementation steps
Wash pork fat, boil briefly and then cut into very small dice.
Mix well beef, pork fat with minced lemongrass, onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of five-spice powder, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, a little pepper and honey. Let the mixture absorb the spices for about 20 - 30 minutes.
Wash piper lolot leaves, wipe them dry thoroughly.
A roll of beef is usually wrapped from 2-3 betel leaves. Place the smooth side (dark green side) of the betel leaves face down onto the cutting board, the rough side facing up to receive the meat filling.
Scoop a little meat filling that fits, place it in the middle, fold the two edges of the leaves and roll them skillfully.
Use a skewer to skewer through the rolls to fix it.
Beef leaf beef is best when grilled on a charcoal stove.
Arrange the beef rolls on a tray, apply a thin layer of oil to the surface to keep the leaves green and limit burning. If you don't have a charcoal stove, you can completely use an oil-free fryer at 180 degrees C for 10 - 12 minutes.
When the beef rolls are cooked, the outer layer of leaves is slightly darkened but still retains its characteristic green color, which can be enjoyed.
In the Mekong Delta, children often like to eat beef leaf beef dipped in chili sauce. Meanwhile, adults prefer to eat beef leaf beef with banh hoi, lettuce, herbs, sour star fruit, sweet bananas and then dip it deep in a bowl of pickled fish sauce mixed with sweet and spicy pineapple.
