Vietnamese Grilled Pork Salad
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
The only cooking required for this incredibly delicious salad is the pork. It’s all about assembling an array of crisp, fresh and spicy accompaniments to wrap in lettuce leaves before devouring. Visit your local Asian food store and stock your pantry with crispy fried shallots, sambal olek, noodles and other essentials so making this style of dish is a breeze.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
600 grams pork scotch fillet steaks
1 stalk lemongrass
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
4 tablespoons lime juice
5 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
Salad
100 grams rice vermicelli, cooked
iceberg or cos lettuce leaves
julienned carrot and cucumber
bean sprouts
herbs: mint, coriander, Vietnamese mint
roasted peanuts, fried shallots, sambal olek
METHOD
Pork: Grate the lemongrass on a fine microplane grater and place in a large shallow dish with all the remaining ingredients. Add the pork and turn to coat. Marinate for at least 2 hours or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
Dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
To cook: Heat a ridged grill or sauté pan and brush with a little vegetable oil. Remove the pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Cook the pork, covered, over a medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes each side or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and rest loosely, covered, for 5 minutes. Slice thinly and toss with the meat-resting juices.
To serve: Arrange all the ingredients in bowls and on platters and place on the table. Each person fills the lettuce leaves with a little of everything and drizzles with the dressing. Wrap and devour.
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