Barbecued
Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane
(Chao Tom)
Ingredients
-
1
tb Roasted rice powder
-
Scallion
oil
-
Crisp-fried
shallots
-
1
tb Roasted peanuts, ground
-
1
lb Raw shrimp in the shell
-
1
tb Salt
-
6
Garlic cloves, crushed
-
6
Shallots, crushed
-
2
Ounces rock sugar, crushed -to a powder, or
-
1
tb Granulated sugar
-
4
Ounces pork fat
-
4
ts Nuoc mam
-
Freshly
ground black pepper
-
Peanut
Sauce
-
Vegetable
Platter
-
8
Ounces 6 1/2-inch rice -paper rounds (banh trang)
-
12
Piece fresh sugar cane, or
-
12
oz Sugar cane packed in light -syrup, drained
-
12
8-1/2 ea inch bamboo skewers -soaked in water for 30 -minutes
-
Vegetable
oil, for shaping -shrimp paste
-
8
Ounces extra-thin rice -vermicelli
Directions
Although
this dish can be baked in an oven, I strongly suggest you grill it over
charcoal, for the result is far superior. The dish may be prepared over 2
consecutive days. On day one, prepare the dipping sauce and condiments.
The
Vegetable Platter and shrimp paste can be assembled the following day.
Fresh
sugar cane may be obtained at Caribbean markets; canned sugar cane is available
at Asian grocery stores.
-
Prepare
the roasted rice powder, scallion oil, crisp-fried shallots and roasted
peanuts.
-
Set
aside.
-
Shell
and devein the shrimp.
-
Sprinkle
the salt over the shrimp and let stand for 20 minutes.
-
Rinse
the shrimp thoroughly with cold water.
-
Drain
and squeeze between your hands to remove excess water.
-
Dry
thoroughly with paper towels.
-
Coarsely
chop the shrimp.
-
Boil
the pork fat for 10 minutes.
-
Drain
and finely dice.
-
In
a food processor, combine the shrimp, garlic, shallots and sugar.
-
Process
until the shrimp paste pulls away from the sides of the container, stopping as
necessary to scrape down the sides.
-
The
paste should be very fine and sticky.
-
Add
the pork fat, roasted rice powder, fish sauce and black pepper to taste to the
processor.
-
Pulse
briefly, only enough to blend all of the ingredients.
-
Cover
and refrigerate.
Meanwhile,
prepare the Peanut Sauce and Vegetable Platter. Cover the rice papers with a
damp towel and a sheet of plastic wrap; keep at room temperature until needed.
-
Peel
the fresh sugar cane; cut crosswise into 4-inch sections.
-
Split
each section lengthwise into quarters. (if using canned sugar cane, split each
section lengthwise in half only, then thread 2 pieces lengthwise onto a
skewer.)
-
Pour
about 1/4 cup of oil into a small bowl.
-
Oil
your fingers.
-
Pick
up and mold about 2 tablespoons of the shrimp paste around and halfway down a
piece of fresh sugar cane.
-
Leave
about 1 1/2 inches of the sugar cane exposed to serve as a handle. (If using
canned sugar cane, there is no need to leave a handle. The skewers will serve
as handles.)
-
Press
firmly so that the paste adheres to the cane.
-
Proceed
until you have used all the shrimp paste.
-
Prepare
a charcoal grill or preheat the oven to broil.
-
Meanwhile,
steam the noodles, then garnish with the scallion oil, crisp-fried shallots and
ground roasted peanuts.
-
Keep
warm.
-
Pour
the peanut sauce into individual bowls and place the Vegetable
-
Platter
and rice papers on the table.
-
Grill
the shrimp paste on the sugar cane over medium coals, turning frequently.
-
Or
Broil, on a baking sheet lined with foil, under the broiler, about 6 inches
from the heat, for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
-
Transfer
to a warm platter.
-
To
serve, each diner dips a rice paper round in a bowl of warm water to make it
pliable, then places the paper on a dinner plate.
-
Different
ingredients from the Vegetable Platter, some noodles and a piece of the shrimp
paste, which has been removed from the sugar cane, are added.
-
The
rice paper is then roiled up to form a neat package.
-
The
roll is dipped in the Peanut Sauce and eaten out of hand.
-
The
remaining sugar cane may be chewed.
Note:
If both types of sugar cane are unavailable, use skewers. Shape the shrimp
paste into meatballs and thread 3 or 4 on each skewer. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
No comments:
Post a Comment