Lemongrass Shrimp Recipe (Vietnamese Cooking Series)

Tom Nuong La Chuoi is a Vietnamese lemongrass shrimp recipe and a really fun to prepare dish, especially with children. It is very simple, made with lemongrass marinated shrimps (that you can substitute with beef, pork, chicken, mushrooms, etc.), wrapped in banana leaves and grilled, served with a peppery dip.

I learned how to cook this dish in the Vietnamese city of Hoi An, in a Vietnamese cooking class organized by Red Bridge Cooking School. If you want to have a look at my overall experience in this cooking school, have a look at my full review of Red Bridge.

Ingredients for Lemongrass Shrimp recipe (for 4 people)

For the stuffing

200g of pealed and de-veined shrimps

2 stalks of lemongrass

2 shallots

1 clove of garlic

1/2 fresh chilli

3 teaspoons of sawtooth coriander

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

2 teaspoons of vegetable oil

2 large banana leaves or similar. *Tip: if you can’t find them, you can always use aluminium foil, but it is less aromatic.

For the dipping sauce

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon of sugar

juice of 1 lime

Preparation

• Peel lemongrass and remove stalk. Cut into very thin strips and put in a mortar.
• Cut shallots, garlic, coriander and chilli into small pieces and add to mortar.
• Add salt, pepper and sugar and pound mixture with pestle until finely grounded. Add oil.

• Cut the shrimps into big pieces and mix with the marinate. Marinate for a few minutes.
• Soften banana leaves over an open flame ready for rolling.
• Place a big square of banana leave in the bottom and two more thin banana leaves forming a cross. Add the stuffing on top, fold the top leave ina square. Fold the bottom leave (perpendicularly) and tuck the end piece like an envelope.

• Place on the barbecue and grill each side for 3 minutes.
• Serve with steamed rice and dipping sauce.

Closing statement

As you can see, this lemongrass shrimp recipe is very easy to make and it can be a delicious starter for your Sunday barbecue. If you have children, let them help you with the wrapping and it will make for a fun day.

If you enjoyed this, you will probably also like:

Vietnamese recipe: Pho Bo

Thai food: Pad Thai

Hoi An food guide: 7 must-eat dishes in Hoi An → 10 Must-Try Hoi An Restaurants

Vietnamese Cooking Class in Hoi An with Red Bridge

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