# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef Filling
01 - 1 lb ground beef, 85-90% lean
02 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or peanut)
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small shallot, finely minced
05 - 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, finely minced
06 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
07 - 3 green onions, thinly sliced
08 - 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
→ Sauce Seasoning
10 - 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon fish sauce
12 - 0.5 tablespoon oyster sauce
13 - 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
14 - 2-3 teaspoons brown sugar or palm sugar, packed
15 - 1-2 tablespoons water
→ Rice Paper Rolls
16 - 12-16 large rice paper wrappers, 8.5 inches diameter
17 - 1.5 cups cooked jasmine rice or rice vermicelli noodles, cooled
18 - 1 cup shredded lettuce or thinly sliced cabbage
19 - 1 cup julienned cucumber, seeds removed
20 - 1 cup julienned carrots
21 - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
22 - 1 cup additional fresh Thai basil leaves
23 - 1 cup fresh mint leaves
24 - Warm water for softening rice paper
→ Dipping Sauce
25 - 3 tablespoons fish sauce
26 - 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
27 - 2.5 tablespoons warm water
28 - 1.5 tablespoons sugar
29 - 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
30 - 1-2 Thai bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
31 - 1 tablespoon finely shredded carrot
32 - 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro stems or green onion
# How To Make It:
01 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves completely. Add water to achieve a glossy, pourable consistency. Set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and shallot, stirring constantly for 30-45 seconds until fragrant and golden.
03 - Add minced chilies and white parts of green onions. Stir-fry for 20-30 seconds until the aromatics release their fragrance.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spatula. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until mostly cooked and browned in spots throughout.
05 - Add diced red bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
06 - Pour the prepared sauce seasoning over the beef mixture. Toss to coat evenly and cook for 2-3 minutes more, allowing the sauce to reduce and cling to the meat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Reduce heat to low. Add chopped Thai basil and green parts of green onions, tossing for 30-45 seconds just until basil wilts. Turn off heat and stir in lime juice.
08 - Transfer beef mixture to a bowl and allow to cool completely to room temperature before assembly.
09 - While beef cools, cook rice or noodles if using and cool completely. Prepare all vegetables and herbs, arranging them in separate bowls for easy assembly.
10 - In a bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add garlic, chilies, carrot, and herbs as desired. Taste and adjust for balance of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy flavors. Chill if desired.
11 - Fill a large shallow dish with warm water. Prepare a clean board or plate, lightly oiled if needed to prevent sticking.
12 - Working one wrapper at a time, dip in warm water for 3-5 seconds, rotating to moisten all edges evenly. Place on the prepared board; it will continue to soften.
13 - Add 2-3 tablespoons cooled rice or noodles to the bottom third of the wrapper. Top with 2-3 tablespoons beef mixture, cucumber strips, carrot strips, lettuce, cilantro, basil, and mint.
14 - Fold the bottom edge over the filling. Fold in both sides, then roll tightly away from you to form a neat cylinder with sealed edges.
15 - Place each roll seam-side down on a serving plate. Repeat the wrapping process with remaining wrappers and filling until complete.
16 - Serve rolls immediately whole or sliced diagonally. Accompany with prepared dipping sauce. If preparing ahead, cover with a damp towel and plastic wrap, storing in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 hours. Allow rolls to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
