Bap Xao (Saigon Buttered Corn with Dried Shrimp)

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp dried shrimp
• 4 tbsp water, warm
• 40 g butter
• 400 g sweetcorn, drained
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp white sugar
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 3 spring onion, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp fried shallots

Method

1. 1.

   Rehydrate the dried shrimp — Soak the dried shrimp in the warm water for 10 minutes, until they plump up and soften. Drain them, keeping 1 tbsp of the soaking water, and chop them coarsely.

2. 2.

   Toast the shrimp in butter — Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat until it foams. Add the chopped shrimp and fry for 2 minutes, until the butter smells sweet and toasty and the shrimp start to catch at the edges.

3. 3.

   Blister the corn — Turn the heat up, tip in the drained sweetcorn and toss for 4-5 minutes without crowding, until the kernels squeak against the pan and a few blister and blacken slightly.

4. 4.

   Glaze with fish sauce — Add the fish sauce, sugar, pepper and the reserved tablespoon of shrimp water. Toss hard for 2 minutes until the liquid disappears and every kernel is glossy rather than wet.

5. 5.

   Finish with spring onion — Off the heat, stir through two-thirds of the spring onion so it wilts in the residual warmth. Spoon into paper cups or small bowls and pile the fried shallots and the last of the spring onion on top. Eat hot, with a spoon.