Beef Laap

Ingredients

 * 1 lb Fresh ground beef
 * Mint leaves
 * 3 Cloves of garlic
 * 1 tb Shallot -chopped
 * 1 t Coriander seeds - ground
 * 1 t Ground hot chili peppers *
 * 1 tb Ground toasted rice
 * 1 tb Scallion - chopped
 * 2 tb Lime juice
 * 1 t Salt
 * 1 tb Fish sauce
 * Fresh raw vegetables

Directions

 * 1) * Adjust the amount of ground hot chili pepper to taste. Serve extra on the side to be added to the dish as needed.
 * 2) ** Make toasted rice by browning RAW rice in a hot dry wok or frying pan, and then ground coarsely in a blender, OR an acceptable substitute is to brown a commercial "cream of rice" in a hot dry pan/wok.
 * 3) Wrap the shallot and garlic in aluminum foil and roast on the stove for approx. 2 minutes per side till the content is scorched. Remove the content from the foil, mash together well (with mortar & pestle, if available) and set aside. Lightly cook the ground beef in a dry pan/wok until the pink is just gone, and place in a bowl. Let cool for a few minutes. Add fish sauce, salt, lime juice, and mix well. Add the mashed garlic/shallot, ground coriander seed, toasted rice, ground hot chili, chopped scallion, and lightly toss together with a fork. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves and garnish with mint leaves. This dish should be served with fresh raw assorted vegetables such as: chunks of "yard-long bean", nappa leaves (select the more tender inner leaves), lettuce leaves (Romaine and other leave lettuces are excellent), celery,