A protein packed, pescatarian-friendly dinner, ready in 20 minutes! Chao tom is one of those dishes that looks way more intimidating to make than it really is, but this recipe is so easy to make. Everything gets thrown in the food processor, wrapped around sugarcane and air fried to golden perfection! The bonus here is that it uses minimal dishes, which means easy cleanup and great for weeknight dinners!
If you make it, be sure to eat it with banh hoi to make banh hoi chao tom! The dipping sauce is just as important as the dish itself, so make my nuoc mam cham ahead of time for a quicker meal and don't forget the fresh herbs, like mint, cilantro, or perilla.
What is Chạo Tôm?
Chao tom is a Vietnamese dish traditionally made with shrimp and pork paste and molded around sugarcane. It's commonly fried to golden perfection and enjoyed with fine woven vermicelli noodles (banh hoi) and fresh herbs.
My version of chao tom, however, is made with only shrimp so it's pescatarian-friendly and it's made a little better for you in the air fryer! So there's no deep frying involved or a pot of oil. It uses a handful of pantry staples and comes together so easily in a food processor!
Why you'll love this Chạo Tôm
- Uses mostly pantry staples.
- Comes together in 20 minutes!
- Packed with protein!
- Minimal dishes and cleanup since it's all thrown into a food processor!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Peeled and deveined. The main component of chao tom.
- Sugarcane: Adds a slightly sweet flavor and moisture to the shrimp. Fresh sugarcane or canned sugarcane works. Swap out sugarcane for lemongrass if you're unable to get either.
- Shallot, garlic, scallions: Add the aromatic flavor to the sugarcane shrimp.
- Fish sauce: Adds savory depth and that classic Vietnamese umami.
- White pepper: For subtle heat that isn't overpowering.
- Sugar: Just a touch to balance out the saltiness.
- Salt: To round out the shrimp flavor.
- Cornstarch: Helps to bind the shrimp into a paste.
- Bouillon powder: I used chicken bouillon but use mushroom bouillon for a pescatarian version!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Chạo Tôm
- Step 1:
- If using fresh sugarcane, peel the outer layers until you reach the tender juicy center of the sugarcane. Cut the sugarcane into sections, following the natural indents.
- If using canned sugarcane, drain the sugarcane.
- Step 2: Cut the sugarcane by carefully cutting each section in half vertically. Lay the flat side facing down and cut it in half again to create quartered sticks (if using canned sugarcane, one cut might be enough, depending on the size of the sugarcane). Set aside.
- Step 3: To a food processor, add shallot, garlic, and scallions. Pulse until finely minced.
- Step 4: Add peeled and deveined shrimp, fish sauce, salt, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, and bouillon powder. Process until it becomes a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Step 5: Oil a plate for the shaped chao tom and your hands or gloves. Take a few heaping tablespoons of shrimp paste and mold it firmly around each sugarcane stick, pressing tightly so it adheres. Leave ⅓ of sugarcane exposed on one end.
- Step 6: Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Air fry for 5–7 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.
- Step 7: Serve immediately with lettuce, fresh herbs, noodles, and Vietnamese nước chấm.
Top Tips for the Best Chạo Tôm
- Pat shrimp dry. Wet shrimp will create a watery paste that won't stick well together.
- Oil hands or gloves when shaping the paste. Add more oil as needed if it begins to stick.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer. Make sure there's space for air to circulate so the chao tom can get golden brown.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sugarcane - If sugarcane is hard to find, use canned sugarcane which can be found in the canned section at Asian supermarkets or purchase it on Amazon. Another great alternative is using fresh lemongrass stalks! Peel out a few of the drier outer layers and chop off the top ⅔ of the lemongrass, leaving the bottom ⅓.
- Add ins -
- Add in some pork for a more traditional sugarcane shrimp flavor.
- Use lemongrass for a lemongrass chao tom.
- Add birds eye chili or Thai chili for a kick of heat!
How to store and reheat Chao Tom
Store leftover chao tom in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, air fry at 350F for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
FAQ
If you can't find fresh sugarcane, you can also use canned sugarcane or the bottom third of lemongrass stalks!
I'd recommend making the shrimp paste ahead of time (up to 24 hours ahead of time) and air frying it the day of for the best texture.
The shrimp not sticking to the sugarcane could come down to excess moisture. Be sure to pat the shrimp dry before mixing or add a little more cornstarch as needed to thicken it up. Additionally, be sure to press the shrimp paste firmly into the sugarcane so it adheres.
If you don't have an air fryer, you can grill these on a grill or in a pan or deep fry these to golden perfection!
While you can bite down and chew on the sugarcane to extract its sweet juice, you cannot swallow the sugarcane as it is too fibrous for our bodies to digest. Be sure to spit it out if you decide to chew on it.
To serve, remove the cooked shrimp paste from the sugarcane and discard the sugarcane. Add the shrimp paste to rice paper or a piece of lettuce and enjoy it as you would a lettuce wrap or spring roll!
Chao tom is commonly served with woven vermicelli noodles or banh hoi, along with Vietnamese nuoc cham, fresh herbs and veggies like lettuce, cucumber, Vietnamese pickles, mint, cilantro, perilla, and Thai basil.
Other recipes to try:
Chạo Tôm (Vietnamese Sugarcane Shrimp)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 oz sugarcane fresh or canned
- 12 oz shrimp peeled & deveined
- ½ shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 scallions roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon mushroom or chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- If using fresh sugarcane, peel the outer layers until you reach the tender juicy center of the sugarcane. Cut the sugarcane into sections, following the natural indents. If using canned sugarcane, drain the sugarcane.10 oz sugarcane
- Cut the sugarcane by carefully cutting each section in half vertically. Lay the flat side facing down and cut it in half again to create quartered sticks (if using canned sugarcane, one cut might be enough, depending on the size of the sugarcane). Set aside.
- To a food processor, add shallot, garlic, and scallions. Pulse until finely minced.½ shallot, 2 garlic cloves, 2 scallions
- Add peeled and deveined shrimp, fish sauce, salt, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, and bouillon powder. Process until it becomes a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as needed.12 oz shrimp, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon mushroom or chicken bouillon powder
- Oil a plate for the shaped chao tom and your hands or gloves. Take a few heaping tablespoons of shrimp paste and mold it firmly around each sugarcane stick, pressing tightly so it adheres. Leave ⅓ of sugarcane exposed on one end.
- Preheat an air fryer to 375°F. Air fry for 5–7 minutes or until cooked through and lightly golden.
- Serve immediately with lettuce, fresh herbs, noodles, and Vietnamese nước chấm.
Notes
- Pat shrimp dry. Wet shrimp will create a watery paste that won't stick well together.
- Oil hands or gloves when shaping the paste. Add more oil as needed if it begins to stick.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer. Make sure there's space for air to circulate so the chao tom can get golden brown.
- Store leftover chao tom in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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