Vietnamese Egg Meatloaf
Vietnamese Egg Meatloaf (Cha Trung) is a delicious dish which is easy and quick to make. You can enjoy it as either a side dish or main dish.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1.5 oz dried cellophane noodles
- 1 oz dried wood-ear mushroom
- 0.5 oz dried shiitake mushroom
- 1 shallot
- 1 large clove of garlic
- 1 lb pork
- 0.5 lb crab meat
- 2 scallion stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- 4 medium to large eggs
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400F (205C).
- 2
Soak cellophane noodles in cold water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from water, wash, drain and cut into 1 - 2'' long pieces.
- 3
Soak wood-ear mushroom and shiitake mushroom in hot water for 5 - 7 minutes or until fully rehydrated and soft. After that, remove from water, wash, drain and squeeze out excess water. Remove stems and put into the bowl of a food chopper/food processor. Add shallot and garlic to the food chopper and process everything into fine pieces.
- 4
Separate the yolks and the whites of 3 eggs. Beat and refrigerate the egg yolks.
- 5
Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl: ground pork, crab meat, cellophane noodles, wood-ear mushroom and shiitake mushroom mixture, scallion, fish sauce, salt, pepper, 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites. Mix well into a pale and sticky mixture.
- 6
Grease a square pan or round cake pan with olive oil (I use a 9'' round cake pan). Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the pan. Press to evenly distribute the mixture and smooth the surface.
- 7
Bake the meatloaf in the oven for 18 minutes. After 18 minutes, remove it from the oven and brush the beaten egg yolk all over the top of the meatloaf. Return it to the oven, bake with the oven door open for 5-7 minutes until everything is fully cooked.
- 8
Take the meatloaf out of the oven. Let it rest for 3-5 minutes and then cut into slices or wedges and serve.