Som mou is a garlic sausage very appreciated as an appetizer. It is also an essential ingredient in the preparation of Nem Tha Dua. The Vietnamese version of the sausage is sweeter than the Lao version and is sold in Asian grocery stores under the name of nem chua. The natural color of the sausage is slightly brownish. The food manufacturers add sulfites to keep the pink color of the meat. In this recipe I use red coloring.
For those who are new to the fermentation process, please read this page first.
For 5 sausages of 200 g
Ingredients
750 g pork tenderloin, ground
150 g pork rind
35 g crushed garlic
40 g cooked sticky rice, washed and drained
20 g salt
6 drops of red food coloring (optional)
1 teaspoon of glutamate (optional)
5 chilies (optional)
Method
In a saucepan, cook the pork rind in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain and let cool. Remove any fat residue on the rind, cut into thin strips and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the ground pork and red coloring until the color is homogeneous.
Add salt and glutamate and knead for 3 minutes.
Add glutinous rice and knead for 3 minutes.
Add garlic and knead for 3 minutes.
Add the pork rind and knead for another minute.
Wrap about 200 g of the mixture with 1 chili pepper in a very thick cling film (you can also use a freezer bag). Tighten the sausage by turning the ends. Secure with rubber bands. Repeat for the remaining mixture.
Place the sausages in an airtight container and store at room temperature away from light for 4 days. You can then let the sausages improve in the refrigerator for a few days.
The success of the sausage will depend on your kneading and the tightness of the packaging. It is also important to take pieces of pork without fat. The classic ground pork sold in stores is not suitable.
