Vietnamese Noodle Salad With Pork Patties Recipes

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 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.

LEMONGRASS PORK PATTIES WITH VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the patties:
• In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together all of the ingredients, then form the mixture into twelve 2-inch patties (about 3/4 inch thick). Arrange the patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
• Preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes and set it up to grill over moderately high heat. Oil the grates. Grill the patties until brown grill marks form on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the patties, then grill for 3 to 4 minutes longer, until cooked through but still juicy.
• For the sauce and assembly:
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the vinegar with the sugar and water. Add the fish sauce, then taste and season with more vinegar or sugar, depending on your taste.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves and herb sprigs on a platter. To serve, wrap the pork patties and herb sprigs in lettuce and dip in the sauc

BUN CHA (VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water and cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, and pepper, and marinate in the refrigerator for 90 minutes to six hours.
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a large mixing bowl.
• When the pork is through marinating, remove from the refrigerator and shape into small patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Heat a charcoal grill or a broiler to high. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process.
• Meanwhile, grill or broil the pork patties until fully cooked and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the pork patties over the sauce. Place the herbs and lettuce in one large communal bowl and the noodles into another large communal bowl. To eat, dip some of the noodles into the sauce and eat with the patties and herbs.

VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH PORK

Steps:

• for the pork: Place pork tenderloin in freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and cut crosswise into very thin slices, about 1/8" thick. Then cut each slice in half lengthwise. Place pork pieces in a wide shallow bowl or large zip-top baggie.
• In a small bowl, stir together sugar, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour mixture over pork pieces and fold several times to ensure the marinade is thoroughly mixed in with the pork. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce and noodles.
• for the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, stir together all sauce ingredients. Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat to cool to room temperature.
• for the noodle salad: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice noodles, stir, and turn off heat. Let noodles soften according to the package directions, then drain and rinse in cold water in a colander. Shake very well to remove water and leave sit in colander at room temperature.
• Divide noodles amongst four low wide bowls or plates. Top each with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, and lime.
• Remove pork from refrigerator. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. When hot, add remaining 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl around the bottom of the skillet. When oil is shimmering, carefully add pork. Separate pork pieces to cover bottom of skillet. Let pork sit without stirring for about 1 minute, to caramelize. Fold and repeat until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Total cook time will depend on how thin the pork is cut, etc.
• Divide hot pork amongst each of the four bowls. Serve with sauce to pour over individual bowls.