Serves 5
130 min
Vietnamese Pork with Vermicelli Noodles and Nuoc Cham
Recipe GLPRc4d57f4ffa0d52
Grilled pork shoulder marinated in garlic, fish sauce, and sugar, served over rice vermicelli with fresh lettuce, mint, and a tangy-sweet nuoc cham dipping sauce infused with chili paste and carrots. This vibrant Vietnamese dish brings together succulent grilled meat with cool, refreshing vegetables and aromatic herbs for a balanced, satisfying meal.
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Ingredients
2 pounds Pork shoulder
8 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
5 tablespoons Fish sauce
4 tablespoons Sugar
½ teaspoon Ground black pepper
Olive oil
Rice vermicelli noodles
Butter lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 bunch Fresh mint
¼ cup Sugar for nuoc cham
1 whole Fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup Fish sauce for nuoc cham
½ cup Water
2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced for sauce
1 whole Carrot, thinly sliced
1½ teaspoons Chili paste
Directions
Combine 8 minced garlic cloves, 5 tablespoons fish sauce, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. This is your pork marinade.
Cut the 2 pounds of pork shoulder into thin slices or strips, about 1/4 inch thick. Place the pork in a large shallow dish or zip-top bag.
Pour the marinade over the pork, ensuring all pieces are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 4 hours for deeper flavor).
While the pork marinates, prepare the nuoc cham sauce. In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup fish sauce, 1/2 cup water, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 thinly sliced carrot, and 1 to 2 teaspoons chili paste. Stir well until sugar dissolves. Add the juice of 1 lemon and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rice vermicelli and cook according to package directions until tender, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse with cool water, and set aside.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Remove the pork from the refrigerator. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, place the marinated pork slices on the hot grill. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 145°F and the meat has light char marks. Transfer to a clean plate.
Divide the cooked vermicelli noodles among serving bowls. Top each bowl with torn butter lettuce.
Arrange the grilled pork slices over the lettuce. Garnish generously with fresh mint leaves.
Serve each bowl with a side of nuoc cham sauce for dipping. Diners can drizzle or dip the pork and noodles into the sauce according to their preference.
