Gluten-free Vietnamese mortadella (Chả Lụa): A festive specialty for Christmas

Vietnamese mortadella , called Chả Lụa , is a traditional dish served on special occasions like Tết (Lunar New Year), but it's also a perfect addition to Christmas. This meat roll, made with finely minced pork and cooked in banana leaves, offers a firm texture and a subtly spicy flavor. Naturally gluten-free and versatile, Chả Lụa can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, in sandwiches, or as an ingredient in other dishes. Here's an authentic version, adapted to add a touch of originality to your holiday celebrations.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

Total time 1 hr 5 mins

Cooking method: Cook Expert , Traditional

Difficulty: Beginner

Servings: 5

Special diet: naturally gluten-free

Ingredients

500g of pork fillet ground into a paste
1 tbsp of tapioca starch (or corn starch)
1 tsp of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce (gluten free)
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda
50 ml of ice water
Fresh or thawed banana leaves (available in Asian grocery stores)
Kitchen twine or cling film for cooking

Preparation

1
Prepare the meat paste: In a large bowl, mix the ground/minced pork, tapioca or corn starch, sugar, salt, white pepper, baking soda, oil, and fish sauce.
2
Gradually add the ice water while mixing. Work the meat until it becomes sticky and homogeneous. If possible, use a food processor to obtain a very smooth paste.
3
2. Prepare the banana leaves: Rinse the banana leaves under hot water to make them supple. Dry them with a clean cloth.
4
Cut them into large rectangles, wide enough to wrap each meat roll.
5
3. Shape the rolls: Place a portion of meat paste in the center of the banana leaves. Form a tight roll, wrapping the meat well.
6
Fold the ends of the leaves over and secure them with kitchen twine. If you don't have banana leaves, you can use heat-resistant cling film. As for me, I was out of twine, so I wrapped the rolls in banana leaves and then in heat-resistant cling film.
7
4. Cooking: Steam the rolls for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness by lightly piercing the roll with a toothpick; the juices should run clear.
8
Allow to cool before removing the leaves.
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5. Serving: Slice the Vietnamese mortadella and serve it cold or warm. It can be enjoyed on its own, with fish sauce, or used to fill sandwiches (like Bánh Mì) or rice noodle dishes.

Keywords: Vietnamese mortadella recipe, Chả Lụa recipe, gluten-free Vietnamese recipe