Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties With Rice Noodles Salad Recipes

VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH CHILLED RICE NOODLES RECIPE

Steps:

• For the Marinated Pork: In a large zipper-lock bag, combine baking soda with 1/2 cup (120ml) water and swish until baking soda is dissolved. Add pork, press out air, and seal bag. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Drain pork, rinse under cold running water, and pat dry. Rinse zipper-lock bag and reserve.
• Meanwhile, if using a mortar and pestle, crush lemongrass, shallot, garlic, and palm sugar to form a rough paste. If using a food processor, combine lemongrass, shallot, garlic, and palm sugar and pulse, scraping down sides, to form a rough paste.
• Transfer paste to a bowl and whisk in fish sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and vegetable oil. Add pork, tossing to coat. Transfer pork to reserved zipper-lock bag, press out air, and seal. Marinate at room temperature, turning pork once or twice, for 30 minutes. Alternatively, refrigerate up to 12 hours.
• Meanwhile, light one chimney full of charcoal . When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the highest heat setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate.
• Grill pork directly over high heat, turning frequently and shifting to cooler side of grill if there are excessive flare-ups, until pork is charred and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK AND RICE VERMICELLI NOODLE BOWL

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients and stir to dissolve the sugar completely. Set aside.
• For the pork: Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a blender; puree about 20 seconds until smooth. Place the pork in a medium bowl, pour the marinade over the meat and massage the pork well. Marinate for at least 1 hour if time allows. Heat a grill pan, medium skillet or griddle to high and add the oil. When you see white wisps of smoke, saute the pork for about 5 minutes until cooked through.
• For the noodles: Soak the rice sticks in warm water for 20 minutes. Drain, then boil the soaked rice sticks in 3 quarts (2.8 liters) of water in a 4-quart (3.8-liter) pot for about 12 minutes until al dente. Rinse them well under cold water in a fine mesh strainer and reserve.
• Assembly: Divide the noodles into 4 separate bowls. Place the pork on top of the noodles. Sprinkle the pork with radish, carrot, roasted peanuts and scallions. Pour Nuoc Cham Sauce over the noodles and mix them well like a salad.

NEM NUONG (VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK PATTIES)

Steps:

• Using food processor, process garlic until finely pureed. Combine pork, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in mixing bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine baking powder and water and stir. Mixture will bubble and foam. Add one drop of food coloring or caramel syrup (this adds color to the pork when grilled).
• Fold the baking powder into mixture and allow meat to chill for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or longer. The baking powder forms air bubbles and adds more bouncier or spongier texture.
• Refrigerate meat mixture a few hours to let it set for easier handling while forming patties, balls or flattened mini sausages. Keep a bowl of water handy and your hands wet for easy handling.
• Grill or pan fry about 4-5 minutes per side.
• Serve with Nuoc Cham and vermicelli (bean thread), if desired.
• To make Nuoc Cham: In a bowl, mash the garlic with the sugar. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• To make Bun Nem Noung: Place vermicelli in boiling water for about 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot. To check for doneness, take a strand and taste. It should be still slightly firm but easily breaks apart. Drain and flush with cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Combine vermicelli in bowls with nem nuong (pork patties), fresh herbs, pickled carrots and daikon, fried shallots and/or crushed roasted peanuts and dress with Nuoc Cham (sauce).

VIETNAMESE RICE-NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Place the garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, honey, lime juice, fish sauce and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until almost smooth. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse well with cold water and drain again. In a large bowl, combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and napa cabbage. Toss well and garnish with peanuts.

VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Mince the garlic with the cilantro and the hot pepper. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the lime juice, fish sauce or salt and sugar; stir well. Let the sauce sit for 5 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice noodles; boil them for 2 minutes. Drain well. Rinse the noodles with cold water until they have cooled. Let them drain again.
• Combine the sauce, noodles, carrots, cucumber, mint and Napa cabbage in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve the salad garnished with the peanuts and mint sprigs.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK PATTIES WITH RICE NOODLES & SALAD

Steps:

• FOR THE NOODLES AND SALAD: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Stir in noodles and cook until tender but not mushy, 4 to 12 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain noodles very well, spread on large plate, and let stand at room temperature to dry. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and mint (and/or basil) separately on large platter and refrigerate until needed.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, 1 tablespoon sugar, and garlic to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl and add hot water and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in fish sauce and lime juice. Set aside.
• FOR THE PORK PATTIES: Combine shallot, fish sauce, sugar, baking soda, and pepper in medium bowl. Add pork and mix until well combined. Shape pork mixture into 12 patties, each about 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
• FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
• FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
• Clean and oil cooking grate. Cook patties (directly over coals if using charcoal; covered if using gas) until well charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer grilled patties to bowl with sauce and gently toss to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Transfer patties to serving plate, reserving sauce. Serve noodles, salad, sauce, and pork patties separately.