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Chao Tom (Sugarcane Prawns)

Here's how you make Chao Tom (Sugarcane Prawns)
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  • Servings: 6
  • Prep: 45m
  • Cook: 30m
    • The following recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients

The ingredients are:
  • 250 ml white vinegar (1 cup)
  • 250 grams sugar
  • 2 carrots, cut into julienne
  • 1/2 small daikon, cut into julienne
  • 3 tablespoons sugar (3 sticks canned sugarcane specified and and cut into 15cm lengths and quartered lengthways)
  • Vegetable oil, to deep fry
  • 300 grams rice vermicelli noodles (fine noodles, to serve)
  • Butter lettuce leaves, to serve
  • Asian herbs to serve
  • FOR CHAO TOM
  • 500 grams shrimp ( big prawns, peeled, deveined and cleaned)
  • 50 grams snapper fish (firm white fish)
  • 50 grams ground pork
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 60 ml fish sauce (plus extra to dip, 1/4 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 coriander stalks, chopped
  • 3 spring onions (stalks, chopped)
  • FOR NUOC CHAM
  • 110 grams caster sugar (1/2 cup)
  • 1 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 red bird's eye chilli, finely chopped
  • 1 lime, zested
  • 125 ml lime juice (1/2 cup)
  • 125 ml fish sauce (1/2 cup)
  • 60 ml orange juice (1/4 cup)
We recommend you get your ingredients ready before you start cooking. Once you're ready, here are the steps to making this delicious recipe

How to Make

  • Step 1: Place vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot and then remove from heat and stir in carrot and daikon and set aside for 1 hour to pickle.

  • Step 2: Meanwhile to make chao tom, place all ingredients in a food processor and process until a chunky paste forms and then transfer to a big mortar and then dip a pestle in the extra fish sauce and pounds paste for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic and then divide oaste int 12 portions and using oiled hand, wrap each portion around a quarter stick of sugarcane and place on an oven tray in a single layer and cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.

  • Step 3: For nuoc cham, pound sugar, garlic and chilli until a smooth paste forms and then stir in remaining ingredients and 60ml (1/4 cup) of hot water to combine and then set aside to infuse.

  • Step 4: Cook rice noodle sheets, two at a time, in a big saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute or until just flexible and transfer to a bowl of cold water and then drain.

  • Step 5: Fill a deep fryer or big saucepan one third full with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat to 180C (or until a cub of bread turns golden in 10 secons).

  • Step 6: Working in batches, drop chao tom into the oil and fry, turning, for 6 minutes or until crisp and golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

  • Step 7: Trim flesh from the sugarcane and put a lettuce leaf on each serving plate and top with noodles, herbs and prawn.

  • Step 8: Drain pickled vegetables and place on top.Wrap to enclose and dip in sauce to serve.

We hope you enjoy this recipe!

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