Chhiwate

1 lb Boneless pork (weight after

-trimming fat), preferable -fresh ham 3 tb Fish sauce (nuoc
mam)

3 tb Water

1/2 tb Potato starch or rice flour

1/2 ts Granulated sugar

1 ts Baking powder

ds MSG (optional) Sprinkling of freshly -ground black pepper 2
oz Pork fat

1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

This recipe is very tasty with an interesting texture.
Unless
you’re a fan of hard work, use a food processor.
The pate was
originally pounded to the proper consistency in a mortar and
pestle…
It can be used all sorts of ways++made into balls for
soup, sliced after cooking and added to lettuce or rice paper
rolls, served with shrimp chips for munchies++whatever inspires
you.
The cinnamon flavor is discernible but not overpowering.
I’ve
actually made this recipe and found it to be a keeper.
Be sure pork
is trimmed of all fat.
Slice the meat 1/4 inch thick, then cut into
1 inch squares.
Make a marinade by combining all the remaining
ingredients, except for the pork fat and cinnamon, in a large bowl.
Add the pork slices to the marinade and mix well with your hands,
then cover the bowl with wrap or foil.
Refrigerate for 5 hours, and
after that period of time has elapsed, transfer the bowl to the
freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove the pork from the freezer, add the
cinnamon, and reduce to a paste in a food processor only.
Boil the
pork fat for 10 minutes and dice into small pieces, the size of
whole peppercorns.
Add the diced pork fat to the ground pork
mixture.
Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with oil.
Put the meat
paste into the pan and press down firmly with your hands, making
sure the surface is smooth.
The meat will come halfway up the side
of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350F and bake the pate for 40
minutes or until the surface looks brown.
Remove from the oven and
allow to cool.
Then slice and serve as an appetizer or with French
bread for lunch or dinner, or use in any recipe where it is
required.
It can be eaten hot or cold.
This will keep fresh in the
refrigerator for a week, or it can be stored for a longer period in
the freezer.
To reheat, wrap in foil and place in a 300F oven for
15 minutes.
From “The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam”, Bach Ngo and
Gloria Zimmerman, Barron’s, 1979.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg
August 28 1990.