For the meat:
300g filet de marcassin (wild boar)
4 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves
1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp white peppercorns
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp chili powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
For the nuoc mam dipping sauce:
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 tsp palm sugar or maple syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 bird’s eye chili, finely chopped
For the peanut dipping sauce:
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 tsp soy sauce
Lime juice, to taste
To serve:
Outer leaves from 3 gem lettuces
Coriander
Mint
Thai basil
Lime wedges
Serves 2
Start by preparing the meat. Finely chop 4 makrut lime leaves and pound them together with the coriander seeds, white peppercorns, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and brown sugar. Rub the spice mix all over the wild boar filet and leave it marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauces. For the nuoc mam dipping sauce, mix the Thai fish sauce with lime juice, garlic, chili, and just enough palm sugar or maple syrup to balance the flavours — start with about 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
For the peanut sauce, stir together the peanut butter, ginger, soy sauce and a squeeze of lime juice. Add a splash of water to loosen the texture.
Once marinated, grill the meat over high heat for about 4 minutes per side, until nicely charred on the outside and still juicy in the centre. Let it rest for a couple of minutes, then slice thinly.
To serve, arrange the gem lettuce leaves on a large platter. Add soome sprigs of coriander, mint, and Thai basil, then lay out the grilled wild boar slices. Let everyone build their own cups, layering herbs, meat and dipping sauces to taste.
