Grilled Shrimp On Sugarcane (chao Tom) |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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These fragrant grilled savory-sweet morsels are a classic Vietnamese appetizer/party food. I helped my fiance make these for a Vietnamese themed dinner party last night (I categorized the cuisine type as Thai only because for some reason Vietnamese is not listed here). Read more . If you can't find sugar cane, you can use lemongrass. I just ordered sugar cane swizzle sticks (from ) cut them in half and they worked out perfectly. Ingredients:
shrimp paste |
1 pound medium wild shrimp, peeled and deveined |
2 teaspoons cornstarch |
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar |
generous 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground preferred |
2 teaspoons soy sauce |
fish sauce, to taste |
1 large egg, lightly beaten |
1 clove garlic, minced |
2 tablespoons minced shallot |
1 tablespoon minced pork fat |
12-15 sugar cane sticks, cut in half (or lemongrass stalks) |
2 tablespoons peanut oil |
nuoc cham dipping sauce |
3 tablespoons lime juice |
2 tablespoons sugar |
1/2 cup water |
2 tablespoons soy sauce |
2 garlic cloves, finely minced |
1 or 2 thai chilis, thinly sliced |
Directions:
1. Make the Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl See Photo. Taste and adjust to your liking.
2. Coarsely chop the shrimp, then put them in a bowl. Add a generous 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the cornstarch, sugar, pepper, fish sauce, egg, garlic, and shallot. Transfer to a food processor and process just until a coarse paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the pork fatback, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes. The mixture will stiffen as it sits.
3. You need about 30 sugarcane sticks cut in half (If using lemongrass, cut off 5 inch sections from the bottom, then quarter each one lengthwise.
4. Line bamboo steamer trays with parchment paper. Ready a pot of water for steaming.
5. Have a bowl of water near where you’re working, along with the shrimp paste and sugarcane sticks. Wet one hand, then use the free hand to roll paste in the palm of your hand into a ball then close your hand to make the paste adhere to the stick and surround it See Photo. Hold on to the sugarcane stick with your dry hand and turn the stick, all the while patting the paste with the wet hand to smooth out the surface. Set on the prepared steamer tray See Photo. Repeat to make more. Put overflow sticks on a plate.
6. Steam the shrimp sticks over boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, until opaque, slightly puffed, and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool. The shrimp sticks can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day; return them to room temperature for grilling.
7. Preheat a grill to medium-high. Meanwhile, brush some oil over each of the shrimp portion of each stick; this prevents sticking. Grill the shrimp sticks for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until the paste is sizzling and there’s some nice browning. Transfer to a serving plate and present with the dipping sauce.
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