Chao Tom (shrimp paste on sugar cane)

Ingredients: (Party-size proportions) 

4 pounds of Raw shrimp

Black pepper (optional)

8 Tablespoons of Corn starch or some smashed ground pork (helps hold the paste together)

4 tablespoons of Fish sauce 

4 teaspoons of Garlic

4 tablespoons of Sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder (for fluff factor) (optional) 

2 cans of Premium sugar cane 

6 Shallots (sweet or yellow onion to substitute or top off)

Instructions 

Note: if you use onion rather than shallots drain extra liquids and pat shrimp very dry—we don’t want excess water

1. Thaw and wash shrimp 

2. Finely chop 6 shallots and garlic separately 

3. Pan fry shallots in a little bit of oil until wilted

4. Take the shallots off the heat (transfer to another bowl and let cool for a few minutes) and add fish sauce, corn starch, black pepper (as desired), fish sauce, garlic, sugar, baking powder

5. Food process shrimp (peel them first if you bought the shell and tails too) and shallot mixture

6. Cut sugarcane to 2-3 inch long pieces, and in half longways, quarters if the sugarcane is extra thick (sometimes even into sixths)

7. Form globs of shrimp paste with your hands and mold it over one end of the sugarcane, leaving a handle

1. For this using a little bit of cold water or oil to coat your hands or gloves helps to stop the paste from sticking to your hands, place on foil or an oiled surface

2. Grandma said no rules on thickness or shape 

8. Steam for 2-4 minutes or until pink

1. You can also grill them or steam and then grill them

2. Perhaps oil bottom of steamer as well

Size to cut the sugar cane