Nem Nướng & Ram Tôm Cuốn (Pork Meatballs & Shrimp Spring Rolls)

ingredients:

Nem Nuong
2 lbs. ground pork
2 heads of garlic (cloves, peeled; use more or less according to taste)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tbs salt
1/2 tbs pepper
4 tsp or 1 small package of Alsa baking powder (single acting)
1/4 cup water
1 drop red food coloring or 1 tsp caramel syrup (optional and found in most asian groceries or make your own)

For the Nem Nuong Cuon
1 package of rice paper wrapper (we love the 3 bamboo brand)
Fried egg roll wrappers
Lettuce
cucumbers, thinly sliced rectangles (about 1 x 3 inches)
pickled carrots and daikon 
mint (rau thom)
chives (rau he)
basil (rau que)
perilla (tia to)
Nuoc mam cham

For Fried Egg Roll Wrappers
5 square egg roll wrappers, quartered
1 bunch of green onion or chives, cut same size as egg roll squares
(optional)

directions:

For Nem Nuong: Using food processor, process garlic until fine puree. Combine pork, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in mixing bowl and mix well. In separate bowl, combine baking powder, water, drop of red food coloring or caramel syrup (this adds a very nice color to the pork when grilled) and stir. Mixture will fluff and foam.

Fold the baking powder into mixture and allow meat to chill for about 30 min to 1 hr or longer--the baking powder adds more firmer, bouncier texture. Now you're ready to form the patties. Keep meat mixture in the fridge for a few hours to let it set and easier to handle when forming patties, balls or what I prefer, mini sausages. We find that it's easier to roll in rice paper this way. Keep a bowl of water handy and your hands wet for easy handling.

Grill about 4-5 min per side. If you plan to grill on an outdoor grill, form patties around the skewer like a kebab.

Ram Tôm (Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls)

In Vietnam, they use small shrimps that have thinner skins and they are used whole. My mom is a bit economical and slices the shrimps in two. However, you can use whole shrimps.

* 1 package egg roll

* 24 large shrimps, sliced lengthwise
* oil for deep frying, enough to submerge the spring roll

Place one egg roll wrapper, with one corner folded.

Line two shrimp halves

Roll the wrapper to cover the shrimp.

Fold in each side.

Continue rolling.

Heat up oil. You can test it by adding a spring roll - the oil is hot enough when little bubbles form around.

Deep fry each spring rolls.

Shrimp on top of the egg roll wrapper.

Folding each side in.

Completed shrimp spring roll.

Shrimp spring roll ready to be fried.


Crispy shrimp spring rolls.