Meat Paste/Gio

This recipe is inspired by Andrea Nguyen Cookbook - Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. I have changed it to suit my taste by adding sesame oil and ACCORD to keep the meat moist.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Marinate:

1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp tapioca starch

1 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp ACCORD - (a picture of and what is ACCORD can be found hereBouncy Beef Balls)

or

2 lbs boneless well-trimmed boneless pork leg

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

3 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch

5 tbsp fish sauce

4 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp ACCORD

Method:

Slice meat into 1/4 inch thick strips. Remove the silvery strip of tendon, cartilage or sinewy bits, keep visible fat for richness.

Mix marinade well and add in to meat. Mix well and cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. The meat will stiffen as it sits.

Working in batches, Grind the meat in a food processor until a smooth, stiff, light pink paste forms.(it will take several minutes. if your food processor is not heavy duty, stop machine after every minute - this is also good for the meat, as the heat in the grinding, if for too long, might cook the meat). The paste is ready when there is no more visible bits of meat and the paste should have a slight sheen.

Remove paste from food processor into the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle, beat the paste on high speed for 1 - 2 minutes.

The paste is ready for making into sausages or meat balls.

For making Meat Balls follow the way they are done from

Meat Balls ala Don

For making Gio Lua(a smooth, light colored sausage)

Bring a 4 or 5 quart pot of water to the boil, lower to a simmer and keep warm.

Put a 12 x 18 inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface, with the short side closest to you.

Center a 5 x 12 inch banana leaf on the foil.

Deposit a chinese rice bowl of packed paste on to the bottom edge of the leaf, roughly shaping it into a fat 5 inch long log. Roll up the leaf to encase the paste, creating a cylinder. Place cylinder at one of the short end of the foil and roll it up, letting the foil naturally over-lap to form a silver tube. Seal the ends close and folding toward the center. The tube has to be tied to ensure the shape and compactness of the paste, make sure the string is taut.

Return the pot of water to a boil. Drop in sausages and boil for 40 minutes.

Let them cool completely before untying and removing the foil.

Keep the banana leaf in place and can be refrigerated until serving.

Serves