Vietnamese Pork Sticks with Lettuce Cups

Title:
Vietnamese Pork Sticks with Lettuce Cups

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Vietnamese,
Pork,
Appetizers




Ingredients:





     1 lb Pork butt, ground


     6    Water chestnuts, minced


     1 lg Clove garlic, minced


     1 sm Green onion, minced


     1 tb Soy sauce, Japanese


     2 ts Oil


 1 1/4 ts Lemon juice, fresh


   1/2 ts Ginger, fresh, minced


   1/4 ts Sugar


   1/4 ts Hot chili oil, Chinese


   1/8 ts Salt


    12    Bamboo skewers - 5 to 6


          -inches long





---------------------------------GARNISHES---------------------------------


    12    Boston lettuce leaves


   1/2 c  Cilantro, chopped


   1/2 c  Mint, fresh, chopped


   1/2 c  Green onion, chopped



-------------------------------DIPPING
SAUCE-------------------------------


   1/2 c  Soy sauce, Japanese


     5 tb Lemon juice, fresh


     3 tb Water


     2    Clove garlic, minced


     2 ts Sugar


     1 ts Oyster sauce


     1 ts Ginger, fresh, minced


   1/8 ts Cayenne pepper





 FOR MEAT: Combine all ingredients in large bowl and use hands to mix gently


 but thoroughly. Shape into 12 cylinders approximately 3 inches long and no


 more than 1-inch thick. Insert bamboo skewer through each cylinder and set


 aside. Arrange garnishes in individual bowls; refrigerate.


 


 FOR SAUCE: Combine all ingredients in small pan and bring to boil. Reduce


 heat and simmer 5 minutes. Let cool. Divide among 4 small bowls and set


 aside. Heat coals on barbecue until gray ash forms. Spread into overlapping


 layer, knocking off ash so coals are hot and glowing. Place grill 2 to 3


 inches above coals or, preheat oven to broil. Arrange pork sticks on grill


 or broiling pan so they do not touch. Cook until meat is crisped, browned


 and firm, turning often with tongs, about 10 to 15 minutes. Have each diner


 sprinkle lettuce leaf with other garnishes. Slip pork off skewer onto


 lettuce.  Wrap around pork and use sauce for dipping. Meat mixture can be


 prepared and skewered up to 24 hours before barbecuing. Sauce will keep 2


 weeks in refrigerator.


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini