How to Make Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Peanut Sauce - Nem Nuong Asian Cooking Recipe Cuisine

Vietnam Nem Nuong (Grilled Pork Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Peanut Sauce)

This recipe was taken from centuries old cooking techniques and when possible applied modern cooking methods and/or ingredients.  It uses Asian cooking styles, Asian Spices, Asian Sauces and Asian Ingredients.  The style of cooking may have a slight alteration while still maintaining the dish's overall purpose.  In this blog we touch on recipes that may be predominant for the Chinese Cuisines.  We will also share recipes based upon country, or regions such as: Burma, Cambodia, Indian, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam.  Some cuisines are considered South Asian, South East Asian, Central Asian and/or Middle Eastern and may not be strictly connected to a specific country or culture.

Recipe makes for 4 Servings

2 tsp peanut or sesame oil

4 shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 lb ground pork

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp five-spice powder

2 tsp sugar

2 cups breadcrumbs or 2 tbsp potato starch

1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, stalks removed

salt and pepper

SAUCE:

2 tsp peanut oil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red Thai chili, seeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp roasted peanuts, finely chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

4 tbsp coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1 tsp water

Directions:

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a small wok or heavy pan and stir in the garlic and chili. When they begin to add color, add the peanuts.

Stir fry for a few minutes until the natural oil from the peanuts begin to come out. Add the remaining ingredients, except the sugar and boil the mixture for a minute. Adjust the sweetness and seasoning to taste by adding salt and sugar and set aside.

To make the meatballs, heat the oil in a wok or small pan and add shallots and garlic. Stir-fry until golden, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Put the ground pork into a bowl, add the stir-fried shallots and garlic, and add the fish sauce, five-spice powder and sugar. Season with a little salt and plenty of pepper.

Using your hand, knead the mixture until well combined. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours to allow flavors to mingle. 

Prepare your skewers. If using wooden or bamboo, soak in water first. Meanwhile, knead the mixture again then add the breadcrumbs or potato starch. Knead well to bind.

Divide the mixture to 20 minutes and roll into balls. Thread the ball on to the skewers. Cook either over the barbecue or under the grill, turning the skewers from time to time until well browned.

If sauce is cold, reheat and pour into a serving bowl. Arrange the meatballs on a serving dish and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with sauce.


*Meatball mixture can be made a day ahead and left to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Find Local Asian Markets

For the adventurous palate, a great side dish that compliments this recipe is Jaew Bong.  Discover more about Jaew Bong, check out www.jaewbong.com.

Enjoy..

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