homemade vietnamese nem nuoung ...

i love nem nuoung, and for those of you who don't know what it is, it's essentially a vietnamese sausage/meatloaf patty that's sliced and rolled up like a summer roll. contents include cucumber, cilantro, lettuce, sometimes a shrimp spring roll for crunch, chives and then the roll is dipped into a spicy peanut sauce (light on the peanut flavor though).

my mother usually makes me a large batch, it's put into the freezer and i slowly enjoy the fruits of her labor. well, a short while ago, i decided to make them myself, and during my two weeks off i re-stocked the fridge. i of course bastardized my version, my mother already shakes her head at my variation. in addition to the pork, garlic and spices, i add in chopped cilantro, chopped and sliced garlic, both granulated sugar and honey, and green onion directly into the mixture, definitely a big no-no in terms of authenticity. i enjoy it, i think it's a good addition.

the pork patty is put under a hot broiler, the outside becomes sticky, sweet and crisp, and when cut, snaps like the casing of a good hotdog. if you want the recipe, you'll have to ask, but i may not give it to you ... it does involve: pork, garlic, cilantro, garlic, fish sauce, garlic powder, sugar, honey, did i mention more garlic ...

here's the final product before being rolled up: