Vietnamese Grilled Pork and Rice Noodles

A Vietnamese dish that I like is a lemongrass grilled pork and noodle dish.  This recipe is served in a bowl with fresh lettuce, cucumber, and carrot-daikon pickle and served with the famous sweet Vietnamese dipping sauce.  Pork is usually used to make this dish, but other meats, such as chicken makes for a good, healthier choice.  The aroma of the combination of lemongrass, shallots, and garlic when grilled on a charcoal stove brings back memories of tourists watching vendors preparing this dish on the sides of the street in Vietnam. Although living in the US now, the meat can be prepared on a grill during the summer or on a kitchen stovetop or baked in an oven to create the same fantastic dish.

Ingredients;

1 lb. pork shoulder

Marinade ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 small shallots, chopped

1 tbs minced lemongrass

1 tbs honey or sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp blackstrap molasses

1 tbs sweet chilli sauce

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp five spice

2 tbs peanut oil

Serve with salad plate that includes the following:

Roughly chopped lettuce, cucumber strips, bean sprouts, and carrot-daikon pickle

Fresh herbs that include: cilantro, basil, and mints

Scallion oil

Chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds

Vietnamese dipping sauce

Cooked rice noodles

Directions:

Slice pork into 1/8 inch thick chunks.

Combine all the marinade ingredients and add pork.

  Coat well the pork with the marinade; cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

For stovetop cooking:

Heat grill pan and coat with a little oil and grill the meat for 2 minutes on each side.

For baking:

Line a baking sheet with foil and place the pork on a prepared baking sheet (avoid overlapping the meat). Bake in a preheated oven set to 350° for 20 to 30 minutes.

To make scallion oil:

Slice 2 green onions and place in a bowl with about 3 tbs of peanut oil and a pinch of salt and sugar. Microwave for 20 seconds.

To make Vietnamese dipping sauce:

Equal parts water and fish sauce (1/4 cup)

1 tbs lemon juice and 1 tsp white vinegar

2 fresh hot chilies, sliced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tbs sugar

Combine all of these ingredients and adjust the seasoning with more or less sugar to your liking.

To serve:

Place the salad on the bottom of the bowl and then the cooked rice noodles. 
Top with grilled pork and scallion oil.  Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts and sesame seeds.  Serve the dipping sauce on the side.