Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Cut the pork into pieces, you can leave it in steak sizes piece, or cut it into thin strips, depending on how much you want the marinade to cover.
• Add sugar, minced garlic, minced shallot, chopped onion, and minced lemongrass to mini chop and blend into a fine texture.
• Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil and continue to blend.
• Cover the pork with the marinade. I suggest letting it marinate for at least a few hours so it can really soak in the flavors.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. You want a good char on this, like they do at the Vietnamese restaurants.
• Remove, allow to sit for a few minutes, and then enjoy!

Steps:

• Make the pickled vegetables: Set a large colander in a large bowl. Add the carrots and daikon to the colander. Toss with the salt, then add just enough water to cover the vegetables, about 6 cups (1.4 L). Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Lift the colander out of the soaking liquid, then rinse the vegetables well. Shake the colander a few times to allow any excess water to drain away. Let the vegetables sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to dry out a bit.
• Add the sugar and vinegar to the bowl with the vegetables. Season to taste with more salt, if needed. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
• Make the lemongrass pork: Trim the bottoms and green tops from the lemongrass stalks. Slice the light parts in half lengthwise, then remove any tough outer layers. Mince and transfer to a medium bowl.
• Finely chop the onion and add to the bowl with the lemongrass.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, wine, and pepper.
• Add the sliced pork butt to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to 4 hours.
• Heat the canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and lemongrass and cook until the onion is tender and beginning to brown, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, remove the pork from the marinade, letting any excess liquid to drip off, then grill the pork until lightly charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemongrass and onion mixture and stir to combine.
• To assemble, slice the toasted French rolls in half lengthwise almost all the way through, leaving a long end intact. Slather the bottom of the rolls with a generous amount of mayonnaise, then spread on a layer of pâté. Top with the pork mixture, cucumber, sliced onion, jalapeño, the pickled vegetables, and cilantro.
• Close the sandwiches and serve.
• Enjoy!