serves
4
prep
10 minutes
cook
20 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
10
minutes
cooking
20
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp caramel sauce (see below)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 650 g ground pork
- bamboo skewers soaked in water, for grilling
Caramel sauce (Nuoc mau)
- ⅔ cup (130 g) sugar
- ½ cup (125 ml) hot water from a kettle
To serve
- 500 g rice noodles, cooked
- sliced cucumber
- coriander
- Thai basil
- lime wedges
- nuoc cham, for dipping (see note)
Marinating time: 2-4 hours
Instructions
- To make the caramel sauce, melt sugar in a saucepan on the stove. When the colour changes to a dark golden-brown, take the pan off the heat. Pour in the hot water carefully and stir to combine – watch out for splattering. Let it cool. Store the excess in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- To make the patties, in a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the caramel sauce with garlic, shallots, fish sauce, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add pork and mix to coat thoroughly.
- Cover bowl and let marinate in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Form pork into small slider-size patties. Push pork patties onto a skewer – 3 patties per skewer. Grill skewers on a barbecue or in a grill skillet, turning to cook both sides.
- Serve with cooked rice noodles, cucumber, herbs, lime wedges, and nuoc cham dipping sauce (see note).
Note:
● Combine 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar in a small heatproof bowl. Pour ½ cup hot water over top and stir until sugar has dissolved. Let cool. Meanwhile, add g1 minced garlic clove and 1 chopped Thai chilli to a bowl or mortar. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and use a pestle or fork to mash together. Add garlic mixture to fish sauce mixture and stir well to combine.
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.
