Fresh corn – often called sweetcorn to differentiate it from the starchier varieties – is a delicious, cooling treat. I love it slightly charred on the grill, so it gets a smoky flavour, but it’s also good when simply blanched, then served with melted butter.
If the sweetcorn you buy is really fresh, there is no need to cook it – you can eat it raw. If you prefer to cook the vegetable, blanch it only briefly – for 30 seconds or less – or it will lose its crisp texture.
Vietnamese cold pork sausage (cha lua/gio lua) is also known as steamed pork sausage. It has a bouncy texture and can be eaten straight out of the pack – there’s no need to cook it. Look for it in the refrigerated section of Vietnamese or Thai shops. If you can’t find it, leave it out and add more fresh shrimp to the dish, or add a couple of hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters.
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