Vietnamese-style Pork Terrine

This pork terrine is absolutely fabulous, and a hoot to prepare. This recipe from Sylvia Tan first appeared in the Mind Your Body supplement to the Straits Times, which means that it is also a good-for-you meal. Jam-packed with lots of herbs, with some spice from the addition of red chillies, onions, and garlic, this is so super fragrant and more-ish that I kept on sneaking little bits to snack on. Just use a food processor to chop up the herbs if you don't want to be chopping for the better part of one hour like the first time I prepared this dish.

Vietnamese-style Pork Terrine
A bunch each of mint, basil, laksa and coriander leaves, chopped
2 large red chillies, deseeded and chopped
1/2 cup dried black fungus, soaked to rehydrate and chopped finely
500g lean minced pork
1 red onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
salt to taste (I personally find that 1/2 teaspoon works well)
1 tsp fish sauce
white pepper to taste
1 egg

Mix the finely chopped herbs, chillies, black fungus, onion, garlic, and the egg, together with the minced pork. Season with the salt, fish sauce and pepper. Mix well and throw the mixture a few times against the side of the mixing bowl to get a bouncy texture when cooked.

Preheat the oven to 160 deg C. Oil the inside of a loaf tin or ramekin (or use the non-stick versions) and pack the seasoned meat in tightly. Cover with a piece of foil to keep the meat moist during the cooking. Place the filled loaf tin in an oven tray and pour water into the tray until it reaches half of the tin, to ensure gentle cooking. Cook for about half an hour in the oven. Check for done-ness by inserting a skewer into the centre - when the juice runs clear, it is cooked.

When cool, remove the terrine and slice. Eat with warm baguette slices, accompanied by fresh ettuce, and fresh mint/basil/coriander leaves.