Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli Bowl

Name: Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli Bowl
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 3 people
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 lb Pork shoulder or pork neck, sliced thin, about ¼ inch thick; 3 stalks Lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, pale inner part only, very finely minced; 5 cloves Garlic, minced; 3 medium Shallots, minced; 3 tbsp Coconut aminos; 2 tbsp Fish sauce; 1 tbsp Neutral oil; 1 tbsp Granulated sugar; ¼ tsp Turmeric; ½ tsp Chilli flakes or dried red chilli; 9 oz Rice vermicelli noodles; 3 tbsp Fish sauce; 2 limes Lime, juiced; 2 tbsp Granulated sugar; 3 tbsp Water; 1 large Fresh red chilli, half thinly sliced for the nuoc cham, half sliced for garnish; 1 clove Garlic, minced; 1 medium Carrot, julienned or coarsely grated; 4 oz Daikon radish, julienned; 3 tbsp Rice vinegar; 1 tsp Granulated sugar; a pinch Salt; 1 medium Lebanese or continental cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced; 1 cup shredded Purple cabbage, finely shredded; a large handful Fresh mint, leaves picked; a large handful Fresh Thai basil, leaves picked; 1 cup Bean sprouts; 3 tbsp Roasted peanuts, roughly crushed; 3 tbsp Crispy fried shallots

This is bún thịt nướng territory: thin rice vermicelli, chargrilled lemongrass pork, a tangle of fresh herbs and pickled veg, and a bright fish sauce dressing pooled at the bottom. Every bowl is a little different depending on what you pile on, which is half the fun. The pork marinates while you prep everything else, so the whole thing comes together faster than you'd expect. No cow dairy, no soy, no sesame oil, just clean, punchy Southeast Asian flavour.

Ingredients

1 lb Pork shoulder or pork neck, sliced thin, about ¼ inch thick
3 stalks Lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, pale inner part only, very finely minced
5 cloves Garlic, minced
3 medium Shallots, minced
3 tbsp Coconut aminos
2 tbsp Fish sauce
1 tbsp Neutral oil
1 tbsp Granulated sugar
¼ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Chilli flakes or dried red chilli
9 oz Rice vermicelli noodles
3 tbsp Fish sauce
2 limes Lime, juiced
2 tbsp Granulated sugar
3 tbsp Water
1 large Fresh red chilli, half thinly sliced for the nuoc cham, half sliced for garnish
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 medium Carrot, julienned or coarsely grated
4 oz Daikon radish, julienned
3 tbsp Rice vinegar
1 tsp Granulated sugar
a pinch Salt
1 medium Lebanese or continental cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Purple cabbage, finely shredded
a large handful Fresh mint, leaves picked
a large handful Fresh Thai basil, leaves picked
1 cup Bean sprouts
3 tbsp Roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
3 tbsp Crispy fried shallots

Instructions

Trim 1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder or pork neck and slice it thin, about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. If the meat is cold from the fridge, it will be easier to slice. Set aside in a large bowl.
Remove the tough outer leaves from 3 lemongrass stalks until you reach the pale, tender inner core. Finely mince those pale parts as small as you can get them. Mince 5 cloves garlic and 2 of the 3 shallots. Add all three to the bowl with the pork.
Add 3 tbsp coconut aminos, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp neutral oil, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp turmeric, and ½ tsp chilli flakes to the bowl. Mix everything together well so every slice of pork is coated. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes while you get everything else ready.
While the pork marinates, make the quick pickle. Julienne 1 medium carrot and 4 oz (115 g) daikon radish. Put them in a medium bowl with 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt. Toss to combine and leave to sit. They'll soften and turn slightly translucent as they pickle.
Now make the nuoc cham. In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbsp fish sauce, juice of 2 limes, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 3 tbsp water, 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 minced shallot, and half of the 1 large red chilli (thinly sliced). Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste it: it should hit sweet, sour, salty, and a little hot. Adjust with more lime or sugar if needed. Set aside.
Prepare your garnishes. Julienne or thinly slice 1 medium cucumber. Finely shred 1 cup (90 g) purple cabbage. Pick the leaves from a large handful of fresh mint and a large handful of Thai basil. Roughly crush 3 tbsp (30 g) roasted peanuts. Slice the remaining half of the red chilli for garnish. Arrange everything on the counter so you can build the bowls quickly once the pork is done.
Cook the noodles. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, then add 9 oz (255 g) dried rice vermicelli. Cook according to the packet, usually 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender with no chalky bite left. Drain in a colander and rinse well under cold running water to stop the cooking and keep them from sticking together. Set aside.
Heat your grill or BBQ to high. Once it's properly hot and the grates are lightly oiled, lay the marinated pork slices in a single layer. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the edges are charred and the surface is caramelised with dark patches. The pork will smell fragrant and smoky when it's ready. Work in batches if needed so you don't crowd the grill. If using a cast-iron pan instead, get it screaming hot over high heat with a little neutral oil, then cook in the same way.
Build the bowls. Divide the rice vermicelli between 3 bowls. Arrange the pork slices over the noodles. Add the pickled carrot and daikon (drain off most of the liquid), cucumber, shredded cabbage, 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts, and the fresh herbs alongside. Scatter over the crushed peanuts, 3 tbsp (25 g) crispy fried shallots, and the remaining red chilli slices. Pour the nuoc cham over each bowl at the table, or serve it in small bowls on the side so everyone controls their own amount.