Vietnamese Sticky Pork Noodles (Bún Thịt Nướng)
Recipe: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • for the sauce
  • 2 crushed or minced garlic cloves
  • 1 crushed or minced hot chili (red, ideally)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • ½ cup Water
  • Marinade
  • ¼ cup shallots, minced
  • 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp minced fresh lemongrass
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 Tbsp thick soy sauce
  • ½ Tbsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil (or a neutral oil)
  • Everything else
  • 1.5 pounds pork (shoulder or tenderloin), cut into small chunks or sliced
  • 8 oz. rice vermicelli
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ¼ cup sliced green onions (light green part)
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • Pickled Carrot and Daikon
Instructions
  1. Prepare the picked carrot and daikon one day ahead.
  2. Prepare the sauce, by combining all ingredients, the day before if possible. Add more fish sauce, or sugar, to your taste.
  3. To prepare the marinade, combine the shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper, lemongrass, sugar, fish sauce, thick soy, pepper, and oil. Mix very well.
  4. Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces, or smaller, and mix with the marinade. Let sit at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.
  5. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the marinaded pork evenly. Bake for 10 minutes (this will vary depending on how thick you slice your pork!) or until just underdone. Turn the oven to broil, move the pan up to the highest rack, and broil for 2-3 minutes (until there are significant black/charred parts on the pork). Remove from the oven.
  6. While the pork is cooking, boil water. Lay the rice noodles in a shallow dish and pour the boiling water over the noodles. Cook for 10-12 minutes, checking for doneness. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  7. To assemble, layer the cold noodles, meat, herbs (be generous!), cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon, and about 3 Tbsp of sauce per bowl.
Recipe by The Kitchen Paper at http://c02.ddd.mwp.accessdomain.com/vietnamese-sticky-pork-noodles-bun-thit-nuong/