Mam Chung (Vietnamese Meatloaf)

Mam chung is a staple dish in my household, but by a different name. My mom refers to it as "Trinh's favorite dish," because as the name suggests, it is my favorite dish of all time. I would eat it every day for weeks if they let me. One time, my mom made a very big batch and I would eat it day after day to the point where she was afraid for my health. So she gave it away to my sisters just to ensure it would be out of sight and out of touch for me.

Considering the fact that it is my favorite dish, I barely ever make it. That's the beauty of having a mom and older sisters who like to cook for you. :) Let's cut to the chase, below is the recipe and the pictures from tonight's (yes, tonight's) dinner.

Ingredients:

- 2.5 lbs of ground pork

- 1 jar of "mam loc xay" (snakehead fish sauce- pictured below)

- 1 tsp of sugar

- 14 eggs

- green onions (chopped)
- usually served with: rice, cucumber, mint, and lettuce

Instructions:

1. In a big mixing bowl, add pork, 1/2 jar of the fish sauce (refrigerate the rest for next time), sugar, 14 eggs (save 3 egg yolks for the top layer), and green onion. MIX WELL.

2. Transfer the mixture into a baking dish (I used a ceramic one and a glass one - pictured below), make sure to leave about an inch on the top as the mixture will rise when cooked.

3. In a large pot, add water so it is halfway to the bowl. Bring to boil (close the lid) and reduce to low heat. Keep checking on the mixture to make sure the water is not spilling into the mixture. It will take about 25-30 minutes.

4. Use a chopstick/fork and poke holes into the mixture all the way down. If the chopstick/fork is dry, the mixture is almost ready. Use a flat spoon and smear the yolk on top of the mixture. Leave the lid off the pot and cook for another 5-10 minutes (or when the yolk looks well-done).

5. Remove and serve with rice and vegetables. (sorry, we rushed into eating and forgot to take a picture to show how it is supposed to be served, we'll do it tomorrow).

Voila!