Banh Mi Tom Quet Nuong- Now There’s a Mouthful of Flavor- Vietnamese Shrimp Toast

Here’s a great appetizer idea for you: shrimp toast! I first tried them at a dim sum brunch and thought, here’s something with endless possibilities!

Drawing by Mike Monahan

The Chinese (the originators of shrimp toast) style was prepared on sandwich bread cut into triangles and had a nice crunch of water chestnuts. I later learned that Japan and Southeast Asian countries have their own versions too. In Vietnam they use baguettes and have a little more spicy mix in the shrimp. I gave the Vietnamese style a go and man were they great. My wife and I devoured a whole baguettes worth and made a dinner out of them, although I think next time I’ll just spread the shrimp mix on a little thicker and use less bread.

In the future I plan on experimenting with maybe a curried shrimp toast or Old Bay seasoning. How about a little saffron and Serrano ham or chorizo with queso blanco? This could be fun! After you’ve made the shrimp paste you can season it however you’d like. Use your imagination and enjoy!

Here’s my recipe for shrimp toast