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Vietnamese Sugar Cane Shrimp (chao tom) - Sugar cane shrimp (chao tom) is a Vietnamese appetizer. Easy chao tom and sugar cane shrimp recipe. A must try.
I’d never tried Vietnamese food before I came to the United States. There was no Vietnamese restaurant in my hometown and Vietnamese cuisine had never crossed my mind.
Then, Thai food was the only exotic food I knew.
I first tasted Vietnamese food when I was attending graduate school in the Midwest.
Stuck in the middle-of-no-where AKA Fargoland, Vietnamese food was a treat to my taste buds. I loved the familiar southeast Asian flavors: the noodle dishes, the steaming hot pho, the rice plates, the fresh bean sprouts, herbs, mint leaves, and oh yeah, fish sauce.
Vietnamese food reminded me of the tastes of home–well, not quite, but they were close. It was comfort food back then and I gradually fell in love with Vietnamese cuisine.
Chao tom, or Vietnamese sugar cane shrimp is one of the appetizer dishes that I absolutely adore.
While I always order them at restaurants, I have never attempted to make chao tom at home until recently. I got myself some fresh sugar cane and adapted the recipe for shrimp paste with bean curd skin and deep-fried them.
(The traditional way of making sugar cane shrimp or chao tom is grilling.)
The sweet thing about making these chao tom (sugar cane shrimp) at home was that I could wrap as much shrimp paste around the sugar cane as possible, so every bite was a mouthful of delicious and springy shrimp paste. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 202 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Vietnamese Sugar Cane Shrimp
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Vietnamese Sugar Cane Shrimp (Chao Tom)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, smaller shrimp
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 3 dashes fish sauce
- 1 egg white, beaten until frothy
- 2 dashes white pepper powder
- 2 teaspoons lard or cooking oil
- sugar cane, skin peeled and quartered into 5-inch length
Instructions
- Rinse and devein the shrimp, then pat them dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place the shrimp, garlic, white pepper, and lard or cooking oil into a food processor and blend until a smooth paste forms. Transfer the shrimp paste to a bowl.
- Beat the egg white with an electric hand mixer until frothy. Combine the shrimp paste with the beaten egg white and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, then divide the shrimp paste into four equal portions.
- Oil both hands and wrap the shrimp paste around the sugar cane, shaping it nicely while leaving 1.5 inches of the sugar cane exposed. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the chao tom until golden brown. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
