Vietnamese Noodle Bowls Recipe Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio

VIETNAMESE NOODLE BOWLS RECIPE (BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO)

Steps:

• Marinate pork: Combine all ingredients listed under Lemongrass Pork. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.
• Make Nuoc Cham: Whisk all ingredients for Nuoc Cham.
• Bake spring rolls: Preheat oven and prepare spring rolls according to package directions.
• Cook rice noodles: Cook rice noodles according to package direction (most need to soak in very hot water until tender).
• Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, use a slotted spoon transfer pork to heated oil (be careful - it will splatter when it hits the hot oil). Cook pork on one side until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir pork and continue cooking until it is just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Chop baked spring rolls into bite-sized pieces. Use kitchen shears to chop up rice vermicelli into shorter lengths.
• Assemble bowls with a bed of lettuce topped with rice vermicelli. Arrange carrots, cucumbers, pork, spring rolls, peanuts, and fresh herbs on top. Serve Nuoc Cham on the side. (I like to toss all of the ingredients together in Nuoc Cham before digging in, but some people like to eat each component separate. It's great either way!)

BUN CHA GIO CHA THIT NUONG

Steps:

• Soak your black fungus in some water to allow them to expand and rehydrate.
• Wash and peel your shrimp before mincing well.
• Finely chop your carrots, onions, shallot and black fungus.
• In a mixing bowl, add all of your ingredients for the filling and mix well.
• Peel and lay out your wraps on a large plate to begin folding.
• Add 2 tbsp of filling on your wrap. Wrap your spring rolls. Although there's a traditional way which you can find online via videos, I just wrap mine like a baby burrito.
• Prep to fry by adding your oil in the pan. ** If you'd like to opt for a healthier version of spring rolls, you can oil a baking tray and pop them in the oven to bake. Frying definitely achieves that crunch and flakiness and is more of the traditional way of cooking these.**
• Once the pan is ready, fry your spring rolls, until they are golden brown all around and fully cooked inside.
• Slice your pork loin into thin strips.
• Finely cut your lemongrass.
• In a mixing bowl, mix everything together well. (Optional, leave marinated pork for 1 hr)
• Over medium heat and cook your marinated pork for about 5 minutes. (Until pork is cooked through)
• Once you're done, you can sprinkle crushed peanuts and/fried shallots over top. Feel free to opt from this step if you're allergic to peanuts or replace with fried shallots.
• Prepare pickled vegetables a day before or 1-2 hours before eating.
• Finely cut your carrots, (and daikon if you intend to make) A peeler works, as you can make them into carrot ribbons.
• In a small sauce pot, boil water. Then put your vinegar, sugar, bay leaf (optional) into the boiling water and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
• Prep your jar(s) in the meantime by placing your carrots/daikon inside.
• Remove the vinegar mixture you've made off the stove and pour into your jars.
• Feel free to add chopped chili peppers for desired level of spice, before putting the lids on the jars.
• Allow them to cool down and pickle for a minimum of 1-2 hours or overnight before eating. You can store them in the fridge.
• Super easy- just add everything together in a small bowl and mix.
• Feel free to add more lime, sugar or spice, depending on desired taste.
• Boil water and cook your vermicelli noodles with the strainer in the Always Pan. A pot to boil your noodles works here too.
• Once they're cooked, strain the noodles and allow them to cool down before adding them to the bowls.
• Dice up some scallions and reuse a bit of your fried oil from spring rolls to glaze them before topping your vermicelli noodles.
• Wash your fresh vegetables well and cut the cucumber into slices.
• Cut up the crispy spring rolls and then add all the remaining items into the bowl- the spring rolls, pickled vegetables, the lemongrass pork with some crushed peanuts on top (fried shallots are optional).
• Finish off with drizzling your fish sauce on top of everything in your bowl, and enjoy!