Flavour Packed Party Snacks and Drinks

Turn up the cheer – and the heat – at your next summer soirée with this colourful collection of party bites, inspired by the vibrant flavours of Southeast Asia.

- Charlotte Binns-McDonald

Pork and sugarcane skewers

SERVES 6 AS A SNACK // PREP TIME 25 MINS // COOK 16 MINS

The perfect one-handed bite made even more flavourful with a punchy, nutty dipping sauce. Pictured p78

1 stalk of fresh sugarcane (see note)

1 bunch coriander, washed

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 stalk lemongrass

4 makrut lime leaves, finely chopped 00 gm minced pork

1 eggwhite

1 tbsp fish sauce

11/2 tsp cornflour

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Baby cos lettuce leaves, Vietnamese mint and Thai basil leaves, to serve PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

50 ml (2½ tbsp) fish sauce

30 ml (1½ tbsp) lime juice

25 gm caster sugar

2 tsp finely chopped ginger

2 tbsp roasted peanuts, finely chopped

PICKLED CARROT

2 carrots, finely shredded

3 tsp caster sugar

11/2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 Using a sharp knife or cleaver split sugarcane into 12 thin 10cm batons; soak in a bowl of water (15 minutes).

2 Roughly chop 1/3 cup coriander roots and stems; reserve leaves for serving. Process chopped coriander, garlic, lemongrass and lime leaves in a food processor until finely chopped. Add pork, egg white, fish sauce and cornflour, season with salt and white pepper, and process until smooth and mixture holds together. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

3 For peanut dipping sauce, combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and ginger in a small bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved, then stir in peanuts.