Bún thịt nướng (Vietnam)

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Bún thịt nướng is a Vietnamese dish consisting of marinated grilled pork served with thin rice noodles over salad and pickled carrots and cucumbers. Roasted peanuts and a traditional nước mắm-based dipping sauce add to its fantastic flavour. There is some amount of preparation to take care of but it isn't very much work and is quite easy. The end result, in any case, is well worth it.

Bún thịt nướng

Ingredients: (serves 4)

For the pork and its marinade:

• 3 tbsp shallots, minced
• 3 tbsp lemongrass, finely minced
• 3 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (nước mắm)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 500 g pork shoulder, in thin (~1 cm) slices

For the final dish:

• Vermicelli rice noodles
• 1 1/2 cups of pickled carrots and cucumbers
• 2 handfuls of salad leaves, sliced
• 1 handful of fresh mint, sliced
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• 1/2 cup green onion oil
• 1 1/2 cup dipping sauce (nước chấm)

Pickled carrots and cucumbers:

• 2 carrots, very thinly sliced
• 15-cm piece of cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• rice vinegar
• pinch of sugar

Scallion oil:

• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Dipping sauce (nước chấm):

• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp chili paste or chili sauce
• fresh red chilies, very thinly sliced, to taste

Preparation:

Prepare the pickled carrots and cucumbers. Place thinly sliced carrots and cucumber in a bowl, cover with rice vinegar and add a pinch of sugar.

Prepare the marinated pork. Cut the pork in thin slices. Add honey, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar to a bowl. Mix well until sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients and combine. Add pork and mix to coat each slice with the marinade. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the green onion oil. In a skillet, slowly heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped green onions and cook over very low heat until just wilted, about 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the dipping sauce. Combine fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and warm water. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Add the chili paste and sliced chilies. Adjust to taste.

Cook the noodles as indicated on the package. Rince with cold water, strain and reserve.

Remove the meat from the fridge about 10 minutes before grilling. If possible, grill the meat over a flame. If not, place a grill pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, toss the meat and grill it for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.

Assemble the dish in individual bowls. Place pickled carrots and cucumbers (and a little pickling juice) in the bottom. Add the mint and chopped salad leaves. Cover with the noodles. Place the grilled meat on top and brush it with the green onion oil. Add crushed peanuts. Serve alongside the dipping sauce.

Bún thịt nướng

Bún thịt nướng