Grilled Char Sui Beef Bundles

In order to get out of my barbeque rut, I decided to try grilling something I would normally cook using another method. This dish is actually something I've made before as an appetizer or finger food for cocktail parties - only I usually broil them in a pan in the oven. They do just as well on the barbeque though. You can change them up a little by using pork or lamb, or even chicken instead of beef, and by altering the fillings - you could use bean sprouts, slices of portobello, snow peas..... They're far easier to make than you'd think. The meat cooks quite quickly owing to the paper thin cut, while the vegetables cook just enough to remain crisp-tender.

Grilled Char Sui Beef Bundles

serves 4

• 5cm/2in fresh root ginger, peeled
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 6 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
• 2 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 400 g very thinly sliced beef (or pork)
• 1 each of large red, yellow and orange capsicums (bell peppers), try to select peppers that are long as opposed to fat.
• 1 bundle green onions, the longest ones you can find.

Mix sauce ingredients. Marinate meat slices in sauce for 1 to 4 hours.
Cut capsicum into ½ centimetre thick spears the long way. Cut the curtved end from each spear. Set aside.

Cut white ends from green onions and blanch them in boiling water for about 1 minute, until they soften, but are not mushy.

Select a few spears of capsicum and line them up together on top of one slice of meat. Roll the meat up into a tight cigar around the capsicum. Tie the roll tightly shut using a piece of blanched green onion.

Brush with any left over marinade and grill.  The thin meat will cook quickly leaving the vegetables crisp tender.

Comments

[Ellie]

These look utterly amazing! Bookmarked for when it either becomes bbq weather again, or I buy a grill (whichever comes first ;))

One question - would mirin or sake be an acceptable replacement for chinese rice wine? I've never used the latter to cook before and don't want to buy a bottle just to make this...

[Erica]

What cut of beef did you use?

[McAuliflower]

Ooo- I am drolling... these look wonderful. This sounds like the flavors of my favorite stir fry- sweet oniony meat. yum!

[Lyn]

Ellie,
I'm sure you could use mirin or sake. I don't see why not.
Erica,
I used blade roast, - which I can get already sliced paper thin in the forzen section of my local Chinese gorcery. You can get chicken and lamb done that way too. I think it's actually meant for Vietnamese Pho, but works great for this.

[Tanna]

These look like works of art but they'd never last long on my table. Beautiful.

[Erica]

Made these over the weekend! They were a huge hit! Next time, I think, I'll add a piece of scallion to the pepper bundles.