Instructions: Place a small frying pan over medium heat until hot. Add the rice; cook, shaking the pan frequently, until the rice is toasty brown, about 4 minutes. Let stand until cool. Place the rice in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Place a wok or wide frying pan over high heat until hot. Add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the red pepper and shallots and cook, stirring, until the shallots soften, about 30 seconds. Add the beef and cook until it is browned and crumbly, about 3 minutes. Drain the excess liquid. Add the green onions, cilantro, mint, lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar; toss well. Add the ground rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 seconds.

To serve, mound the meat mixture on a platter and surround it with lettuce leaves. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serve warm or at room temperature. To eat, place a spoonful of meat in a lettuce leaf, wrap it up, and eat it out of hand.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Comments: When a cook prepares a dish from another cuisine, he invariably adds his own personal touch, and Ive done so with this recipe. Its based on the "larb" of northern Thailand, in which the beef is eaten raw or blanched in water. I prefer to stir-fry it with seasonings to give it a Chinese accent.

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