Nem Nuong -- Vietnamese Pork Patties - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon roasted rice powder
225 g ground lean pork
25 g pork fat, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, for greasing
To serve
2 cups salad greens
1/2 cucumber, seeded and sliced into half moons
2 spring onions, shredded
1/2 cup fresh herb (Thai basil, coriander or mint)
1/2 cup nuoc cham sauce

Preparation

To prepare the rice powder, soak 75g glutinous rice in warm water for an hour.
drain and dry and then throw into a hot pan.
Stir over a low heat for about 15 minutes or until golden in colour.
Reduce to a fine powder in a food processor or coffee grinder -- it will keep for up to 3 months.
Mix the pork and pork fat with the shallot, garlic and fish sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and bind with 1 tbsp rice powder.
Leave to rest in the fridge for 1/2 hour.
Grease your hands with a little oil and then form the pork into small rounds or sausage shapes.
Grill over a medium charcoal fire or under a preheated grill for about 15 minutes.
Turn as needed to brown on all sides.
Serve on a bed of lettuce, cucumber, spring onions and herbs.
Dip in nuoc cham.