Recipe: Shrimp Mousse on Sugar Cane (Vietnam)

Cookbook

Chao Tom

Shrimp Mousse on Sugar Cane

Shrimp Mousse on Sugar Cane This is a very important Vietnamese dish, from the imperial capital of Hue. It uses fresh sticks of sugar cane as skewers. The heated cane releases a burst of sweet cane juice when bitten into.

10 ounces (1-1/4 cups) shrimp, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 sugar cane pieces, 4 inches long
1 red chili, seeded and sliced
l cup Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Grind or pound shrimp with salt, sugar and pepper. Using the oil, form the shrimp paste around the sugar cane until tight. Grill over medium charcoal heat until crisp and slightly browned.

Serve with chili, Sweet and Sour Sauce and cilantro leaves.

Helpful hints: Although the pounding is normally done in a mortar, you can use a blender or a food processor. Crab is a good substitute for shrimp. If grilling is not possible, oven bake at 375 degrees F. for about 20 minutes.

Buy the Book!

The Food of Vietnam
Authentic Recipes from the Heart of Indochina
By Trieu Thi Choi and Marcell Isaak
Periplus Editions
Hardback, $16.95
ISBN: 962-593-394-8
Recipe Reprinted by permission.