Vietnamese pork meatballs (nem nuong) recipe

Step 1

For the meatballs, place all ingredients, except the pork mince and fat, and 1/2 tsp salt flakes in a small bowl with 1 1/2 tbs water and set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Place pork mince and fat in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add the seasoning mixture (it should be nearly foaming from the baking powder) and stir until well combined. Chill overnight or freeze for 1 hour (cooling helps improve texture of the end result). Transfer chilled mixture to a food processor and whiz for 5 minutes until a sticky rough paste.

Step 3

To make the dressing, mix all ingredients until sugar dissolves. It should be sweet, sour, salty with a kick of chilli.

Step 4

For the oil, place shallot, oil and 1/2 tsp fine salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until shallot starts to soften. Set aside to cool.

Step 5

Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Using a tablespoon dipped in water, drop slightly heaped 1 tbs measures of pork mixture onto prepared tray.

Step 6

Heat a barbecue chargrill plate or chargrill pan to medium-high. Lightly spray with oil. Cook pork for 8 minutes, turning regularly, until lightly browned and cooked through.

Step 7

Place lettuce, mango, cucumber and herbs on a platter. Place meatballs on a separate plate and vermicelli in a bowl. Spoon some shallot oil over meatballs and place a ramekin of nuoc cham on the side.

Step 8

To eat, fill a lettuce leaf with noodles, mango, cucumber and one or two meatballs, and sprinkle with herbs. Roll it up like a taco, and dip into nuoc cham.