serves
2-4
prep
1 hour
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
2-4
people
preparation
1
hour
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 100 g pork neck, cut into lengths about 3 cm x 1 cm
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 100 ml vegetable oil
- 4 cooked tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
- 100 g pork floss (available from Asian grocers)
- 1 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp fried red Asian shallots (available from Asian grocers)
- 3 tbsp
- 1 spring onion, green part only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced
Batter
- 60 g rice flour
- 30 g wheat starch (available from Asian grocers)
Spring onion oil
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
- 6–8 spring onions (scallions), green part only, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Instructions
To caramelise the pork, place it in a small saucepan along with the sugar, fish sauce and enough water to cover the pork. Cook over high heat until the water has nearly evaporated, turning the pork occasionally. Once the water has evaporated, there should be a sticky caramel coating on the pork. Remove from the heat and allow to cool — the pork should be very sweet, salty and sticky. Once cooled, finely shred the pork and set aside.
Meanwhile, to make the rice cakes, line a 22 cm x 30 cm x 3.5 cm deep baking tray with plastic wrap (see note). Combine the rice flour, wheat starch, a pinch of sea salt and 250 ml (1 cup) water in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring with a whisk to form a smooth batter. As the mixture thickens, begin stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. When the mixture has reached a smooth gluey consistency, remove fromthe heat and pour into the lined tray. Using a spatula, smooth the mixture out into an even layer about 1 cm thick. Cover the tray well with plastic wrap. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the steamer and allow to cool.
For the spring onion oil, place the oil and spring onion in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until the oil just starts to simmer. Stir in the fish sauce, remove from the heat and stand until cool.
Remove the top layer of plastic wrap from the cooled rice cake. Turn the tray over, inverting the rice cake onto a chopping board. Remove the plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, cut the rice cake into 2 cm squares and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Add the rice cakes and cook for 3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp underneath. Reduce the heat to medium, turn the cakes over and cook for another 3 minutes. When golden brown on both sides, remove from the pan and arrange on a serving platter.
Slice the prawns in half lengthways, then cut each half into three pieces.Lay the prawn pieces over the rice cakes. Sprinkle with an even layer of the shredded, caramelised pork, then the pork floss, peanuts and fried shallots. Spoon the nuoc mam cham and 3 tablespoons spring onion oil over, garnish with the spring onion and chilli and serve immediately.
Note
•If you don’t have a steamer large enough to accommodate the baking tray, spread the mixture out into smaller square tins- as long as it is even and 1 cm-thick, it will give the same result. You may need to steam the trays in batches.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
