Hue lemongrass skewers (nem lui hue)

These Vietnamese beef and pork skewers are shaped around stalks of lemongrass and cooked on a chargrill, which releases a smoky aroma that flavours the meat beautifully.

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 100 g (1 lb 5 oz) minced beef
• 200 g minced pork
• 20 g pork fat, minced
• 20 g cooked and shredded pork skin (purchased from Asian market)
• 1 tbsp finely diced garlic
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• ½ tbsp sugar
• 12 lemongrass stalks, trimmed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 60 ml (¼ cup) chilli sauce
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 6 warm baguettes

Marinating time 1 hour

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, minced pork, pork fat, pork skin, garlic, shallots, pepper, fish sauce and sugar.

Knead for 5 minutes until all ingredients have combined well.

Cover, then refrigerate for 1 hour for the flavours to develop.

With wet hands, divide the mixture into 12 portions and roll each portion into a sausage shape.

Thread the beef sausages onto each lemongrass stick and brush with a little oil.

Heat a barbecue grill or chargrill pan and cook the skewers for 6 minutes, turning every few minutes, until cooked.

Remove the meat from the lemongrass skewers, and distribute 2 serves per baguette. Spread ½ tsp chilli sauce and hoisin sauce into each baguette.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.