Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowl
Vietnamese-style rice vermicelli bowl topped with caramelized lemongrass-marinated grilled pork, crisp lettuce, cucumber, pickled carrots, and a generous pour of nuoc cham dipping sauce. Plan ahead: the pork needs at least 30 minutes to marinate.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs pork shoulder or pork loin, thinly sliced
- 2 lemongrass stalks, finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallot, minced
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles, cooked per package
- 4 cups butter or green leaf lettuce, torn
- 1 English cucumber, julienned
- 2 carrot, julienned
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar (for pickling)
- 1/2 tsp salt (for pickling)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham)
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 fresh red chili or red pepper flakes, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic (for nuoc cham), minced
Instructions
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1
Make the nuoc cham: whisk together 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham), 1/4 cup warm water, 2 sliced fresh red chili or red pepper flakes, and 2 cloves minced garlic (for nuoc cham) until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
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2
Quick-pickle the carrots: toss 2 julienned carrot with 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar (for pickling), and 1/2 tsp salt (for pickling). Let sit for at least 15 minutes.
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3
Marinate the pork: combine 2 finely minced lemongrass stalks, 4 cloves minced garlic cloves, 2 minced shallot, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 2 tbsp neutral oil in a bowl. Add 1.5 lbs thinly sliced pork shoulder or pork loin and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
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4
Cook 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and divide among 4 bowls.
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5
Heat the grill or a grill pan over high heat. Grill the pork slices for 2-3 minutes per side until charred at the edges and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Let rest briefly.
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6
Arrange 4 cups torn butter or green leaf lettuce and 1 julienned English cucumber over the vermicelli in each bowl. Add drained pickled carrots, grilled pork, 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro.
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7
Pour the nuoc cham generously over each bowl and toss lightly before eating.