Equipment
Ingredients
Lemongrass Pork
- 600 g pork shoulder or pork neck, sliced thinly (3-4mm)
- 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, minced
- 2 shallots, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 30 ml fish sauce
- 15 ml tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
- 30 g brown sugar or palm sugar
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml neutral oil
Nuoc Cham (Dressing)
- 120 ml warm water
- 30 g white sugar
- 45 ml fish sauce
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1 bird's eye chili, thinly sliced
Noodles & Vegetables
- 300 g dried rice vermicelli (bún)
- 150 g carrots, julienned
- 150 g cucumber, julienned
- 100 g bean sprouts
- 20 g fresh mint, leaves picked
- 20 g fresh cilantro, rough chopped
- 40 g roasted peanuts, crushed
Quick Pickle Liquid
- 30 ml white vinegar
- 15 g sugar
- 2 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Combine minced lemongrass, shallots, garlic (3 cloves), fish sauce (30ml), tamari, brown sugar, black pepper, and neutral oil in a food processor or mortar. Process into a coarse paste.
Massage the marinade paste thoroughly into the thinly sliced pork. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 24 hours for deeper flavor.
While pork marinates, dissolve 15g sugar and 2g salt in 30ml vinegar. Toss the julienned carrots in this mixture and set aside to quick-pickle.
Prepare the Nuoc Cham sauce: In a small bowl, dissolve 30g sugar in 120ml warm water. Stir in 45ml fish sauce, lime juice, remaining minced garlic, and chili. Adjust to taste—it should be a bold balance of salty, sweet, and sour.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook the rice vermicelli according to package instructions (usually 3-5 minutes) until white and soft but not mushy. Drain immediately and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop cooking and remove excess starch.
Preheat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. working in batches, sear the pork slices. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until well-charred and cooked through (internal temp 63°C/145°F minimum, though texture benefits from slight caramelization).
To serve, divide noodles among bowls. Top with a pile of grilled pork, pickled carrots (drained), fresh cucumber, bean sprouts, mint, and cilantro.
Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve with the Nuoc Cham sauce on the side to be poured over just before eating.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to authentic flavor is 'blackening' the sugar in the marinade slightly during cooking—don't fear the dark char marks on the pork; that is where the flavor lives.
- Nuoc Cham strength varies by fish sauce brand (Red Boat is saltier/purer than Squid brand). Add fish sauce gradually and taste as you go.
- For a true restaurant finish, make a quick Scallion Oil (Mỡ Hành) by pouring hot oil over chopped green onions and spooning this over the assembled bowl.
- If using wooden skewers on an outdoor grill, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store meat, noodles, herbs, and sauce in separate containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Marinated raw pork can be frozen. Cooked noodles do not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat pork in a pan or microwave. Serve noodles and vegetables room temperature or cold.
