Vietnamese cuisine is a balancing act of the following mighty flavour sensations: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. This meatloaf contains some of the greatest hits of ingredients often associated with the flavours of Vietnam like lemongrass, basil, and sriracha sauce. This meatloaf can be enjoyed simply with steamed
jasmine rice and steamed greens.
If you are however, looking to be a little more adventurous, might I suggest using the meatloaf to assemble one of my favourite categories of sandwiches of all time-bahn mi. I use mini brioche baguettes to make sliders, but this works well with any crusty and airy bread of your choosing.
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 1⁄2 lbs ground turkey
2 tbsp sriracha sauce
3 green onions, chopped finely
3 tbsp lemongrass paste
2 eggs
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1⁄4 cup basil, chopped
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Zest of a lime
1 tbsp brown sugar
GLAZE:
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp sriracha
1 tsp dark soy sauce
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine all the ingredients and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- While the meat is resting, make the glaze by stirring glaze ingredients together.
- Preheat the oven to 375 ̊F.
- Once the mixture has set, press into a greased or parchment lined meatloaf tin.
- Bake the meatloaf for 30 minutes.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and brush with half of the glaze; bake for another 30 minutes.
- Remove the loaf from the oven and brush with remaining glaze and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Allow the meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with carrot-daikon pickle and lemongrass crema.
Chef ILona Daniel is Harrowsmith’s Food Editor and the founder of Tribe Fresh Events and Consulting, a purpose-driven insights consultancy accelerated by modern approaches to the hospitality industry, immersive experiences, and community and culture development. She has worked on projects around the world and is on the Board of Directors for the Tourism Association of PEI. Chef Ilona is a media personality, and a Culinary Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Canada.
