Chef Joshua Walker shallow-fries his shrimp toasts instead of deep-frying them, so they’re not as greasy as the traditional Vietnamese version. He likes to spread the shrimp mousse unevenly over the toasts before cooking them. “If the mousse is higher on one side, it gets crisper and more browned than the other side, which is more lightly cooked,” he says. “That’s the perfect contrast.” Slideshow: Vietnamese Recipes
How to Make It
In a small bowl, whisk the sugar with 1/2 cup of warm water until dissolved. Whisk in all of the remaining ingredients.
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except the baguette slices, canola oil and garnishes and puree until nearly smooth. Spread the mousse on the baguette slices.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add half of the toasts, mousse side down, and cook over moderate heat until golden, 2 minutes. Flip the toasts and cook until browned on the bottom, 1 minute. Transfer the toasts to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining oil and shrimp toasts. Transfer the toasts to a platter, garnish with cilantro and scallions and serve with the nuoc cham.
