Nem Lụi Huế (Huế Lemongrass Pork Skewers)

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add ground pork and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until browned, about 3 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add whole grain soybean sauce and peanut butter. Whisk in milk and pâté until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes.

Whisk in sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and pepper. Cook until slightly thicker than gravy, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with additional sugar or fish sauce, if desired. If it's too thick, whisk in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches a desirable consistency. Remove from heat.

Transfer mixture to a food processor bowl and process until smooth. Using a flexible spatula, scrape sauce into a serving bowl. Stir in chiles and set aside until ready to serve.

For the Nem Lụi Huế: In a small bowl, stir together baking powder with 1 1/2 teaspoons (7ml) water; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups (475ml) water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pork fat and simmer to render out some of the excess fat, about 4 minutes. Drain pork fat, and transfer to a large bowl.

Add ground pork, pork paste, sugar, fish sauce, salt, pepper, and reserved baking powder mixture to bowl with pork fat. Using clean hands, knead pork mixture until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, and chopped pork skin (if using), and knead until well combined, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate pork mixture for at least 2 and up to 8 hours.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Divide pork mixture into 16 even portions, approximately 1 ounce (30g) each. Coat gloved or ungloved palms lightly with vegetable oil. Roll each portion of pork mixture into a 3-inch log around base of each lemongrass skewer and place on prepared baking sheet.

Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.

Brush skewers with oil. Grill skewers over indirect heat, turning every 2 minutes, until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Move skewers over direct heat and cook, flipping occasionally, until charred on both sides, about 1 minute. Serve warm with pork peanut dipping sauce and pickled vegetables.

To Serve as Rice Paper Platter for Rolls: In a 3-quart saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat. Cook vermicelli noodles until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Shake off the excess water and set aside.

Fill a large bowl with warm water and set on table with a platter full of grilled nem lui hue, the pork peanut dipping sauce, pickled vegetables, cooked vermicelli noodles, pineapple, cucumber, green mango, star fruit, green bananas, lettuce leaves, rau ram, perilla leaves, mint leaves, and rice paper.

To serve, dip one sheet of rice paper in the warm water, making sure rice paper is completely wet before shaking off excess water. Lay rice paper on a serving plate and let it sit until completely pliable, about 30 seconds. Arrange any combination of lettuce, herbs, cucumber, pineapple, green mango, green banana, star fruit, and vermicelli noodles over rice paper near the end closest to you.

Remove one nem lui from its lemongrass skewer and place it on top of roll fillings. Starting with the nearest edge, carefully lift rice paper over filling, fold in the sides, then roll tightly. Serve with pork peanut dipping sauce and pickled vegetables.