Barbecued Skewered Pork Recipe

Ingredients : Serves 6

500g Pork fillet 2 cloves Garlic 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Sugar 3 teaspoons Rice wine or dry sherry 1 tablespoon Roasted ground rice 3 teaspoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Melted pork fat or lard For serving 500g Fresh rice noodles 1 Medium lettuce Sprigs of fresh coriander or mint Nuoc Leo sauce

Method : Cut the pork fillet into very thin slices. Then cut in small squares. Crush garlic finely with salt and sugar, then mix with wine or sherry. Pour over the pork, mix well and leave for 30 minutes. With mortar and pestle pound a small portion of the meat at a time until it has a paste-like consistency. As each lot is done, remove it to a bowl or plate. Add melted pork fat, ground rice and fish sauce. Knead mixture well, then form small sausage shapes and mould them onto bamboo skewers, squeezing them on very firmly. Barbecue over glowing coals or under a griller, at a good distance from the source of heat so they are well done before the outside is browned. Turn the skewers to ensure the meat cooks on all sides. To serve : Slice fresh rice noodles and steam them. Serve skewers of pork with well-washed and dried lettuce separated into leaves, the noodles, and a small bunch of fresh coriander or mint. Each person assembles his own snack. A leaf of lettuce is topped with a few rice noodles, some of the barbecued pork, a sprig of fresh coriander or mint, a spoonful of sauce, then rolled up to form a neat roll. This takes some practice. If preferred, the sauce may be served as a dipping sauce. Note : The pork for this recipe is pounded and not minced, as the results will not be the same.