Sugar-cane Shrimp Recipe
(Chao tom)
Vietnamese Recipes

Sugar cane and shrimp are readily available in Vietnam. In the West, sugar cane can be bought from some large supermarkets, otherwise go to a large oriental or Indian emporium and ask when they'll next have some in stock. Some of the best sugar-cane shrimp can be found in Hoi An, central Vietnam, where many of the shrimp in the traditional way, removed from the sugar cane and wrapped in rice paper like an egg roll, or dip them into the sauce and chew from the cane. If sugar cane is hard to find, use either lemon grass stalks or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water.

Ingredients:

3
1 lb
1 tsp
1
1/4 cup
1 tbsp
12 inch piece
2 tbsp

Dipping sauce:
2 tbsp
3
3 tbsp
1 tbsp
1 tbsp
2 tsp
1 tbsp
1

To serve:

garlic cloves, crushed
raw shrimp, peeled
superfine sugar
small egg white
diced pork fat (optional)
ground toasted rice
sugar cane
vegetable oil


peanut oil
garlic cloves, crushed
water
Nuoc Mam Dipping Sauce
Lime juice
brown sugar
chopped roasted peanuts
small red chili, finely sliced


rice papers (banh trang)
assorted lettuce leaves
mint leaves

Method:

1. First make the dipping sauce. Heat the oil and lightly fry the garlic until just softened. Add the water, dipping sauce, lime juice and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the peanuts and Chile. Set aside to cool.

2. Using a food processor or a pestle and mortar, blend the garlic and peeled shrimp to a smooth paste. Add the sugar, egg white, pork fat, if using, and ground rice, and mix well.
   

3. To make the sugar-cane sticks, cut the sugar cane into 4-inch pieces, then cut each section into 4 pieces. Cut away the reddish brown outside layer of the sugar cane and discard.
   

4. With lightly oiled hands, take about 2 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture at a time and form into oval balls. Press each ball around a stick of sugar cane. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.
   

5. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place the sugar cane shrimp on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning once, or broil for 10 minutes.
   

6. While the shrimp are cooking, dampen 8 rice papers and arrange on individual plates with an assortment of lettuce leaves and a small bowl of dipping sauce.
   

7. Serve the hot sugar-cane shrimp alongside the wrappers. Invite each person to remove the shrimp mixture from the sugar cane and place it, with a selection of lettuce leaves and some mint leaves, inside a piece of rice paper and roll into a cigar shape. Finally dip into the sauce and eat.

Serves 4