Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the beef patties
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lb (450g) lean ground beef
1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
4 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce such as nuoc nam
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper Nuoc cham dipping sauce
3 fresh bird’s-eye chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup warm water
juice of 2 limes
4 tablespoons fish sauce such as nuoc nam

Method:
1. Soak 8 bamboo skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes, to prevent them burning. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for about a minute until golden brown. Add the cumin and cook for a further minute until fragrant.

2. Mix the beef, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, coconut cream, curry powder, sugar, salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds and cumin together in a bowl. Season with black pepper. Cover and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes.

3. To make the nuoc cham dipping sauce, using a mortar and pestle, crush two-thirds of the chile with the garlic and sugar until smooth. Add the warm water, then transfer to a bowl, and add the lime juice and fish sauce. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

4. Heat a ridged cast-iron grill pan or grill until hot. Divide the beef mixture into 16 portions. Shape each portion into a ball, then gently flatten in your palms to form a 1 1⁄2in (4cm) patty. Thread two patties onto each bamboo skewer. Grill the beef patties in the pan or over a hot fire for 3 minutes on each side.

5. Do not overcook them, or they will dry out—the beef should be medium-rare in the middle. Quickly sprinkle the remaining chile into the nuoc cham dipping sauce (which is hot, salty, and sour), and serve at the table alongside the beef patties for dipping.

Grilled beef patties with shallots and cumin recipe