Cook and Scale

Chao Tom (Sugarcane Shrimp Skewers)

4 servings · 45 min total

A sweet shrimp paste is grilled around sticks of sugarcane until golden, then wrapped in rice paper with fresh herbs, cucumber, and peanuts for a fragrant appetizer.

Ingredients

500 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
100 g ground pork
2 garlic, minced
2 shallot, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp black pepper
8 sugarcane, peeled
1 tbsp vegetable oil
8 rice paper
8 lettuce
4 tbsp fresh mint
1 cucumber, cut into batons
3 tbsp peanuts, crushed
3 tbsp fried shallots

Contains: Peanut, Fish, Crustaceans

Allergen info is best-effort — please verify yourself.

Method

1.
Blend the shrimp paste — In a food processor, blend the shrimp, ground pork, garlic, half the shallot, cornstarch, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper into a smooth, sticky paste.
2.
Mould paste onto sugarcane — Wet your hands with a little oil and mould a portion of the paste around the middle of each sugarcane stick, pressing firmly so it holds.
3.
Grill the skewers — Grill the skewers over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, turning often, until the shrimp paste is golden and firm.
4.
Soften the rice paper — Briefly dip each rice paper sheet in warm water for about 15 seconds to soften, then lay flat on a work surface.
5.
Roll the fresh spring rolls — Slide the grilled shrimp paste off the sugarcane and place on the rice paper with lettuce, mint, cucumber, remaining shallot, peanuts, and fried shallots, then roll up tightly.