Ba-Nam's Nem Nuong With Nuoc Leo Sauce

Name: Ba-Nam's Nem Nuong With Nuoc Leo Sauce
Yield: serve 4, 6
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 ounces pork fat; 1 pound lean pork; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil; 2 tablespoons tuong; 2 tablespoons water; 2 tiny hot green or red chili peppers; ½ cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped; 1 package banh trang rice papers; 1 cucumber, unpeeled, thinly sliced; 1 bunch mint, thick stems removed; 1 bunch coriander, thick stems removed; 1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated

By Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Published March 20, 1984

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus overnight refrigeration
Rating: 3(5)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: FROM VIETNAM, SUBTLE MIX OF FLAVORS

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Ingredients

Yield:serve 4, 6 or 8 people

2 ounces pork fat
1 pound lean pork
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil

FOR SAUCE

2 tablespoons tuong
2 tablespoons water
2 tiny hot green or red chili peppers
½ cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

TO SERVE

1 package banh trang rice papers
1 cucumber, unpeeled, thinly sliced
1 bunch mint, thick stems removed
1 bunch coriander, thick stems removed
1 head Boston lettuce, leaves separated

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Have butcher grind pork and pork fat together very fine, or do it yourself in a food processor. Mix sugar, garlic and pepper with pork and set aside, covered and refrigerated, for a few hours or overnight.
MAKE THE SAUCE:
1. Step 2
  Combine tuong and water and mix well. Add thinly sliced chili peppers to taste. Place sauce in serving bowl and sprinkle peanuts over top.
2. Step 3
  When ready to serve, form pork into little meatballs about 1 inch in diameter and thread onto wooden skewers. Grill over charcoal if possible, basting frequently with peanut oil; or broil in a gas or electric oven for 15 to 20 minutes, basting and turning skewers until meatballs are nicely browned.
3. Step 4
  While meat is cooking, arrange vegetables on platter with rice papers and a bowl of warm water.
TO SERVE:
1. Step 5
  Each guest should dip a rice paper in water to soften, then arrange lettuce on rice paper with other vegetables as desired and two or three meatballs. Wrap rice paper to make a little package and dip in nuoc leo sauce before eating.