TOMATOES STUFFED WITH VIETNAMESE STYLE MINCE

INGREDIENTS
» 10 tomatoes, preferably Roma tomatoes

FILLING
» 300 g minced pork
» 6 dried tree-ear mushrooms, soaked in water for
» 30 minutes, hard parts removed and chopped finely
» 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
» 2 shallots, chopped finely
» 2 spring onions, cut in rings
» 2 tbsp fish sauce, to taste
» 1/4 tsp black pepper
» 1/2 tsp salt

TOMATO SAUCE » 1 shallot, chopped finely » 2 cloves of garlic, crushed » 1/2 tsp sugar » 1 tbsp fish sauce » 1/2 kg canned tomatoes

TOMATO SAUCE
» 1 shallot, chopped finely
» 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
» 1/2 tsp sugar
» 1 tbsp fish sauce
» 1/2 kg canned tomatoes

GARNISH
» white pepper, straight from the mill
» 1 spring onion, in rings
» 2 tbsp deep-fried shallot
» twigs of coriander

STEP BY STEP!
1/ Cut the top of the tomatoes off and scoop out the soft flesh: Set aside the top or ‘lid’ of the tomatoes.
2/ Prepare the filling: combine the mince with the finely chopped mushrooms. Also stir in the garlic, shallot and spring onion, and season to taste with fish sauce, black pepper and salt.
3/ Prepare the tomato sauce: on a low heat sauté the shallot with the crushed garlic, add the canned tomatoes and the sugar and season to taste with the fish sauce. Allow the tomato sauce to reduce for 15 minutes, or until it has become a nice thick sauce.
4/ Fill the oöen tomatoes with the mince mixture, put the tomato lids on them. Place the tomatoes in an oven dish.in a preheated oven at 175 0C for 15 minutes.
5/ Scoop a few tablespoonfuls of the tomato sauce onto a plate, put a few stuffed tomatoes on it and finish this off with a turn from the peppermill, some spring onion, deep-fried shallot and coriander.