Pork Wrapped in Betel Leaves
Pork mince and betel leaves grilled until blistered — a Vietnamese dish built on aromatics and technique.
Pork in Betel Leaves
Seasoned pork mince wrapped in betel leaves and grilled until the leaves blister and char at the edges. The filling uses chopped betel leaf inside as well as out, which deepens the peppery, herbal flavour considerably.
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cast iron pan best grilled over charcoal, but can use any fry pan as well
- 1 pastry brush
- 6 bamboo skewers
Ingredients
Filling
- 350 g pork mince you'll want higher fat mince to keep the rolls moist
- 15 g lemongrass very finely minced in a food processor, white part only
- 20 g shallot finely minced
- 5 g garlic finely minced
- 3 betel leaves very finely chopped
- 10 g spring onion very finely sliced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 5 g sugar
- 1 g black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Wrapping
- 20 betel leaves
- 1 tbsp neutral oil olive oil spray is also good, and easier to apply
Instructions
Prepare Filling
- Combine pork mince, lemongrass, shallot, garlic and chopped betel leaves in a bowl.
- Add fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, pepper, oil and spring onion.
- Mix thoroughly until the mixture becomes slightly sticky.
- Rest for 10 minutes so the aromatics absorb into the pork.
Wrap Rolls
- Lay a betel leaf matte side up with the tip pointing away from you.
- Place about 1 tbsp of filling near the base of the leaf.
- Roll upward while folding the sides inward to seal, so the glossy side faces outward.
- Skewer the rolls by piercing through the centre of each one, catching the seam as you go to keep them closed.
Cook
- Brush rolls lightly with oil.
- Place seam side down first in a grill pan or frying pan over medium heat.
- Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the leaves blister and the pork is cooked through.
- Note: Do not cook over high heat — the leaves will burn before the pork has time to cook.
Notes
Storage
Best eaten immediately. If needed, store cooked rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a dry pan over medium-low heat.Key pitfalls:
- Use pork mince with some fat content – lean mince will produce a dry filling
- Lemongrass must be minced to a near-paste to avoid fibrous strands in the filling
- Chopping a few betel leaves into the filling is not optional – it makes a noticeable difference to the depth of flavour
- Do not cook over high heat or the leaves will scorch before the pork is cooked through
