Entree: Vietnam – Southern Vietnam – Bún Thịt Nướng (Grilled marinated pork served over rice vermicelli with fresh herbs and fish-sauce dressing)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 12 min

Additional 4 hrs

Total 4 hrs 30 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) pork shoulder, thinly sliced against the grain
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) light brown sugar or palm sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 cloves (about 9 g) garlic, minced
- 2 small shallots (about 40 g), minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 g) honey or maltose (optional)
- 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes (optional)
- 8 oz (225 g) rice vermicelli (bún)
- 2 cups (50 g) fresh Thai basil and/or cilantro mix, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (25 g) fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup (100 g) cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (120 g) pickled carrots and daikon (do chua), see below
- 1/2 cup (60 g) roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1/4 cup (40 g) fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)
- Lime wedges for serving
- Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce):
  - 1/3 cup (80 ml) fish sauce
  - 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water
  - 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice
  - 3 tbsp (45 g) granulated sugar
  - 1 clove (3 g) garlic, minced
  - 1 small red chili, minced (adjust to taste)
- Pickled carrots and daikon (do chua):
  - 1 cup (120 g) carrots, julienned
  - 1 cup (120 g) daikon radish, julienned
  - 1/2 cup (120 ml) rice vinegar
  - 1/3 cup (80 ml) warm water
  - 2 tbsp (30 g) sugar
  - 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork marinade: in a bowl combine fish sauce, brown sugar, oil, minced garlic, minced shallot, soy sauce, black pepper, and honey if using. Add the sliced pork, toss to coat, and marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Make pickled carrots and daikon: dissolve sugar and salt into rice vinegar and warm water, pour over julienned carrots and daikon in a jar, refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
3. Make nuoc cham: whisk together fish sauce, warm water, lime juice, and sugar until sugar dissolves. Stir in minced garlic and chili; adjust balance of sweet/sour/salty to taste.
4. Cook the rice vermicelli according to package instructions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to drain well.
5. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. If using skewers, thread marinated pork onto skewers. Grill pork 3–4 minutes per side until slightly charred and cooked through. Remove and let rest 5 minutes, then thinly slice if skewered whole.
6. Assemble bowls: divide vermicelli among 4 bowls. Top with grilled pork, cucumber slices, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh herbs (basil, mint, cilantro), crushed peanuts, and fried shallots.
7. Serve with lime wedges and nuoc cham on the side to pour over each bowl just before eating.