Pork paste adds a firmer texture to the shrimp in this dish (
chạo tôm), but you can also skip it if it’s not available. Pork paste, or
giò sống, is a popular item in wet markets in Vietnam. Freshly butchered pork is ground and pounded into a sticky paste. Some Asian stores offer pork paste in frozen form. You can grind and pound fresh meat yourself at home, too. Apply the
đập thịt and
quết techniques used in the