Pork mince kneaded together with minced garlic, honey, baking powder and a touch of curing salt, shaped onto skewers and barbecued for a couple of minutes a side until the outside chars and the inside stays juicy. Served Vietnamese-style with rice paper, fresh herbs and pickled vegetables. Street food with proper finesse.

The baking powder is the secret to a tender, light pork skewer rather than a dense, chewy one. A teaspoon kneaded into the mince at the mixing stage tenderises the meat and gives the skewer a slightly springy bite that mimics the mortar-pounded textures of professional Vietnamese kitchens.

Curing salt (a small amount of pink curing salt, not table salt) gives the pork the pink-tinged colour and slightly cured note that defines the proper nem nuong. Without it the skewers cook to pale grey; with it, they hold the rosy hue of restaurant Vietnamese.

Knead the mince for a full two minutes, longer than you'd expect, until the mixture turns sticky and slightly elastic. The kneading develops the protein in the meat and is what holds the skewer together over the heat without falling apart. Wrap into a rice paper roll at the table with cucumber, mint, coriander, perilla and a quick sweet-chilli dipping sauce. Cold Vietnamese iced coffee or a Saigon beer alongside.