The sugarcane is the ingenious element. Fresh sugarcane acts as a skewer — structural enough to hold the shrimp paste during grilling — but also as a flavoring agent and the treat at the end. As the shrimp paste grills, the sugarcane heats and some of its juice permeates into the paste from the inside. When the shrimp paste is removed, the sugarcane stick that remains has been seasoned with a faint shrimp flavor; the diner chews sections of the stick to extract the sweet juice, now complex from the cooking, and spits out or discards the fiber.
This double use of the sugarcane — structural and culinary — is the hallmark of the Vietnamese capacity for elegant simplicity: one ingredient performing two functions simultaneously.
The dish comes from central Vietnam (Hue), where the court cuisine of the imperial capital developed a tradition of elaborate small dishes eaten with rice paper and fresh herbs — the bánh tráng cuốn (rice paper wrap) format that appears across Vietnamese cooking from gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) to bò 7 món (seven courses of beef). Chao tom in this context is a component in a larger assembled meal, though it is also eaten as a standalone appetizer.
The Shrimp Paste
The paste must adhere to the sugarcane (sticky enough to mould on and stay put during grilling) but must also cook evenly and develop caramelization on the outside:
Shrimp: Raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. A combination of shrimp and a small amount of pork fat (mỡ) is traditional — the fat keeps the paste moist and helps it caramelize.
Binding agents: Egg white (provides protein binding); a small amount of cornstarch or tapioca starch (helps adhesion to the sugarcane).
Seasoning: Fish sauce (nước mắm), sugar, white pepper, shallot (minced fine), garlic (minced fine), lemongrass (optional).
Texture: The paste should be smooth enough to mould but firm enough to hold its shape — not a liquid paste. A food processor produces the right texture if not over-processed.
The Sugarcane Preparation
Fresh sugarcane: Available at Asian grocery stores, either whole stalks or pre-peeled sections. Peel the outer brown skin; cut into 15–18cm sections approximately 2cm in diameter.
The moulding: Wet hands slightly; take a portion of shrimp paste (approximately 50g); mould it around the top 2/3 of the sugarcane stick, pressing firmly and smoothing to an even layer (approximately 1–1.5cm thick). The bottom section of the sugarcane is left bare as a handle.
The Cooking
Grilling (preferred): Grill over medium-high charcoal or gas heat, turning, 8–10 minutes total until the outside is golden and slightly caramelized. The paste may crackle and crisp slightly.
Deep-frying: Heat oil to 175°C; fry 3–4 minutes until golden. Slightly less smoky than grilling; good for home cooking.
Pan-frying: Medium-high heat, turning, 4–5 minutes per side. Works but lacks the charred character of grilling.
How to Eat Chao Tom
The wrapping ritual is part of the meal:
- Slide the shrimp paste off the sugarcane (or break it into pieces)
- Chew sections of the warm sugarcane to extract the sweet-shrimpy juice; discard the fiber
- Place a piece of shrimp paste on a moistened rice paper sheet; add a lettuce leaf, cucumber slice, mint, and perilla
- Roll into a compact cylinder
- Dip into nuoc cham (fish sauce, lime, sugar, chili, garlic dipping sauce)
The Complete Recipe
Serves: 4 (8 skewers) | Time: 1 hour
Shrimp Paste
- 400g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 50g pork fat or 1 tablespoon lard (can substitute neutral oil)
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 shallots, minced fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced fine
Sugarcane Skewers
- 4 fresh sugarcane sections, peeled, cut into 15cm sticks, each halved lengthwise or kept whole
Serving
- 12–16 rice paper rounds (bánh tráng), dampened
- Butter lettuce leaves
- Cucumber, julienned
- Fresh mint and Vietnamese perilla (tía tô)
- Nuoc cham dipping sauce
Nuoc Cham
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 100ml warm water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red chili, minced
Method
1. Make paste: Process shrimp and pork fat in a food processor until smooth paste forms (10–15 pulses, do not over-process). Add egg white, cornstarch, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, shallot, and garlic; pulse until combined. Refrigerate 20 minutes (firms the paste, easier to mould).
2. Mould: With wet hands, mould approximately 50g of paste onto each sugarcane stick, covering the top 2/3 evenly. Press and smooth firmly.
3. Cook: Grill or pan-fry until golden and cooked through (see methods above).
4. Make nuoc cham: Dissolve sugar in warm water; add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili; stir.
Serve: With rice paper, lettuce, cucumber, herbs, and nuoc cham.
Related reading: Goi Cuon Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Guide | Bun Rieu Vietnamese Crab Tomato Soup Guide | Banh Xeo Vietnamese Sizzling Crepe Guide
The full recipes live in the book.
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