Vietnamese Sugar Cane Prawn Skewers

Name: Vietnamese Sugar Cane Prawn Skewers
Yield: 8
Cuisine: SEA FOOD
Ingredients: Sugar cane, stripped clean, 12cm batons; Olive oil cooking spray; Iceberg lettuce, to serve; Cucumber, cut into thin batons, to serve; Fresh coriander leaves, to serve; Fresh mint leaves, to serve; 300 g prawn meat, finely chopped; 300 g pork mince; 3 spring onions, white and light green parts, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 cm piece of ginger, grated; ⅛ tsp white pepper; 1 lemongrass stalk, tender inner stem only, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 finely grated palm sugar (or 2 teaspoons brown sugar); 2 tbsp cornflour; 1 egg white; 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 2 tbsp water; 1 red chilli, finely chopped; 1 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 lime, juiced

CategoryGasCuisineSEA FOODDifficultyBeginner

Yields8 Servings

These skewers, (a.k.a Chao Tom), are a favourite traditional appetiser in Vietnam. The flavourful prawn and pork meat grilled over the flame of the barbecue is best enjoyed with fresh ingredients like lettuce and herbs.
The components of this recipe can be customised to your menu. You could even use the meat and dipping sauce to create cold rolls with rice paper and vermicelli noodles.

THE INGREDIENTS

Sugar cane, stripped clean, 12cm batons

Olive oil cooking spray

Iceberg lettuce, to serve

Cucumber, cut into thin batons, to serve

Fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Fresh mint leaves, to serve

PRAWN MIXTURE:

300 g prawn meat, finely chopped

300 g pork mince

3 spring onions, white and light green parts, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cm piece of ginger, grated

⅛ tsp white pepper

1 lemongrass stalk, tender inner stem only, finely chopped

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 finely grated palm sugar (or 2 teaspoons brown sugar)

2 tbsp cornflour

1 egg white

NUOC CHAM DIPPING SAUCE:

4 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp water

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 lime, juiced

For the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Prepare the barbecue for direct cooking over medium-high heat (210°C-250°C).

To create the skewers combine all of the prawn mixture ingredients. Work the mixture with a spoon or your hands, mixing for a couple of minutes to help thicken the mixture. If needed you can add extra cornflour to bring it together. Ideally the mixture will be soft but will just hold shape. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and shape around the skewers (if using). Spray the top side of the meat with olive oil cooking spray to help prevent them from sticking to the grill

Brush the cooking grills clean with a wire brush. Place the skewers, oiled side down first, onto the cooking grill over direct medium-high heat with the lid closed. Grill on each side for 5 minutes until caramelised sear marks are visible and skewers are cooked through.

Serve the skewers with the lettuce, cucumber, mint, coriander and nuoc cham dipping sauce. The idea is to use the lettuce as a wrap, wrapping the meat and herbs together, finishing with a drizzle of the dipping sauce.

Ingredients