Ease of Preparation: Easy
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) caramel sauce (see below)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper
- 1 ½ lb (675 g) ground pork
Caramel sauce (Nuoc mau):
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) hot water from a kettle
- Bamboo skewers soaked in water, for grilling
To serve:
- 1 lb (450 g) rice noodles, cooked
- Sliced cucumber
- Coriander
- Thai basil
- Lime wedges
- Nuoc cham, for dipping (see our recipe here! [1])
Method:
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 (15 ml) of the caramel sauce with garlic, shallots, fish sauce, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add pork and mix to coat thoroughly.
Cover the 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 barbeque or in a grill skillet, turning to cook both sides.
Serve with cooked rice noodles, cucumber, herbs, lime wedges, and Nuoc Cham [1] dipping sauce.