INGREDIENTS
1.5kg green Prawns, peeled and deveined
9 cloves garlic, finely diced
5 red shallots, finely diced (see notes)
4 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
2 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons light fish sauce (see notes)
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil, for brushing
4 pieces canned sugar cane (see notes)
¼ iceberg lettuce
6 green onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
½ bunch coriander
½ bunch Vietnamese mint
2 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced into thick batons
1 cup bean sprouts, tailed
METHOD
Make Nuoc Mam Cham: combine fish sauce, water, sugar and vinegar over a low heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool, then stir in garlic, chilli and lime juice.
Heat a barbecue or char-grill plate.
Process garlic, shallots, lemongrass, sugar and fish sauce in a food processor until well minced. Add prawns and white pepper and process until it forms a sticky mass.
Split sugar cane sticks lengthwise into 1cm thicknesses. Wet hands and mould a small handful of prawn paste around the end of each piece of cane. Brush prawn paste with vegetable oil and char-grill, turning frequently, until the paste is firm to the touch and cooked.
Meanwhile arrange lettuce leaves and whole sprigs of Vietnamese mint and coriander (still on stems) on a platter, arrange a mound of bean sprouts beside them and a pile each of green onions and cucumber batons.
Serve the sugar cane sticks with vegetables platter and Nuoc Mam Cham dipping sauce.
