snack

Nem Chua (Fermented Pork Snack with Bird's-Eye Chili)

Name: Nem Chua (Fermented Pork Snack with Bird's-Eye Chili)
Ingredients: 50 g Lean ground pork (standard substitute for traditional fermented pork); 50 g Cooked white long-grain rice (mashed into the pork for texture); 35 g Raw spinach (finely chiffonaded as a fresh bed); 32 g Sweet potato, steamed and mashed (for balancing the fermented tang); 3.5 g Almonds, slivered (for toasted crunch); 5 g Fish sauce and fresh garlic (aromatics)

Nutrition

200

kcal

Calories

13.8

Protein

22.9

Carbs

5.8

Fat

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Ingredients(6)

Lean ground pork (standard substitute for traditional fermented pork)50 g

Cooked white long-grain rice (mashed into the pork for texture)50 g

Raw spinach (finely chiffonaded as a fresh bed)35 g

Sweet potato, steamed and mashed (for balancing the fermented tang)32 g

Almonds, slivered (for toasted crunch)3.5 g

Fish sauce and fresh garlic (aromatics)5 g

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, mashed steamed sweet potato, and cooked rice. Season with a teaspoon of fish sauce, minced fresh garlic, and a heavy pinch of whole black peppercorns.

Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand until it becomes sticky and uniform. Shape the mixture into small, bite-sized cylinders, roughly the size of a thumb, mimicking the traditional Nem Chua form.

If you have time, wrap them in plastic film tightly to compress them and let them rest in a cool place for 30 minutes to firm up.

To serve, arrange the chiffonaded spinach on a small plate. Place the pork bites over the greens, garnished with a slice of bird's-eye chili for heat. Sprinkle with the toasted slivered almonds for a necessary textural contrast. The snack should be cool, savory, and have a slight, pleasant acidity from the fermentation process.