Grilled Pork with Rice Vermicelli

(Bún Chả) SERVES 4 Fish sauce is the soy sauce of Southeast Asia, part of almost every meal. It can be found in most Vietnamese markets along with rice vermicelli and the Vietnamese herbs called for in this recipe. FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE: 4 1⁄2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 3 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce 3 tbsp. sugar 1 small, fresh, hot red chile (thai or serrano), stemmed and sliced into thin rounds FOR THE PORK: 1 small yellow onion, peeled and grated 2 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce 3⁄4 tsp. sugar Freshly ground black pepper 1 1⁄2 lbs. boneless pork butt, trimmed of fat and thinly sliced, then cut into 2" × 1" pieces 1⁄4 lb. dried rice vermicelli 1⁄2 head boston lettuce leaves, torn into pieces 1⁄2 bunch cilantro leaves, torn into pieces 1⁄2 bunch mint leaves, torn into pieces Vietnamese herbs (optional), such as kinh giới and tiá tô, torn into pieces 1. For the dipping sauce: Stir together lime juice, fish sauce, 1/4 cup water, sugar, and chiles in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Adjust flavor with up to 1/4 cup water. Set aside. 2. For the pork: Mix together onions, fish sauce, and sugar in a medium bowl; season with pepper to taste. Add pork and mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add rice vermicelli, cover, and turn off heat. Soak noodles until soft, 3–4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again. Set aside. 3. Preheat the grill. Remove pork from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Grill pork over medium-hot fire until slightly charred and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer meat to a platter. 4. To serve, divide pork among four shallow bowls, then spoon sauce over meat. Arrange noodles, lettuce, and herbs in each of four deep bowls. Eat the pork and sauce with the noodles, lettuce, and herbs. Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham) MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP This version of the spicy, but slightly sour, Vietnamese condiment is typical of that made in Saigon. Prepare sauce 2–3 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend. Serve with Vietnamese Spring Rolls. 1⁄4 cup Vietnamese fish sauce (nuờc mắm) 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced 1 fresh hot red chile (thai or serrano), thinly sliced 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 tbsp. sugar 1. In a bowl, combine fish sauce, garlic, and chile. 2. In a smaller bowl, stir together fresh lime juice and sugar, then add to fish sauce mixture. Add more fish sauce or water to taste. Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Chả Giò) MAKES 40 Making spring rolls is like making pancakes: You have to get the feel of it, and until you do, be willing to give up the first few to the kitchen gods. Since each recipe makes 40, prepare a double batch and freeze some for later. They're a great treat as an hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, or main course. 2 oz. dried cellophane noodles 1 oz. dried wood ear mushrooms 1 lb. ground pork 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped 3 carrots, peeled; 1 grated, 2 sliced 1 egg, lightly beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper 40 triangular rice-paper wrappers (rounded edge about 9") 2 oz. dried rice vermicelli 1 head leaf lettuce, washed and separated 2 cucumbers, thinly sliced 1⁄2 cup fresh holy or sweet basil leaves Vegetable oil Vietnamese Dipping Sauce 1. Soak cellophane noodles in hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and chop. Meanwhile, rinse mushrooms and soak in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes; then drain, trim stems, and finely chop. Combine cellophane noodles, mushrooms, pork, onions, and grated carrot in a bowl. Mix well; stir in egg; and season with salt and pepper. 2. To assemble, soak one wrapper in a bowl of hot water until pliable, 15–30 seconds. Place on a dish towel, rounded side towards you. Place 1 tbsp. filling 1" from long edge, fold edge over filling, then fold in sides—tear off excess corners of wrapper—and roll tightly. Repeat process, changing water occasionally, to make all rolls. 3. Soak vermicelli in warm water until soft, about 15 minutes, then cook in boiling water over medium heat for 30 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and transfer to a platter with sliced carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, and basil. 4. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry rolls a few at a time, turning to brown evenly, until crisp, 3–5 minutes. Drain. To eat, wrap each roll with desired garnishes in a lettuce leaf, then dip into dipping sauce. Green Mango Salad with Grilled Beef (Goi Xoai Voi Bo) SERVES 2 – 4 A key ingredient in this salad is Asian basil, also known as Thai basil. It has small, pointed leaves and a delicate licorice flavor. This recipe is an adaptation of one we found in Mai Pham's Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table (HarperCollins, 2001). FOR THE DRESSING: 1–2 bird's-eye chiles, stemmed and chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped 4 1⁄2 tsp. sugar 4 1⁄2 tsp. Vietnamese fish sauce Juice and some pulp from 1/2 lime FOR THE SALAD: 3 small shallots, peeled 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, tender inner parts only, minced 2 tsp. Vietnamese fish sauce 1 tsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. sugar 1⁄2 lb. beef top loin steak, sliced against the grain into 1⁄4"-thick strips 1 green (unripe) mango, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced 6–8 sprigs cilantro, chopped 1⁄4 cup Asian basil leaves, torn into thirds 2 tbsp. unsalted roasted peanuts 1. For the dressing: Crush chiles, garlic, and sugar together with a mortar and pestle to a coarse paste. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in fish sauce, lime juice and pulp, and 1 1/2 tbsp. water, and set dressing aside. 2. For the salad: Cut 1 of the shallots in half crosswise. Finely chop 1 of the halves, transfer to a shallow medium dish, and set aside. Thinly slice remaining shallots crosswise, spread them out on paper towels, and let air-dry for 30 minutes. Combine sliced shallots and oil in a small heavy skillet and bring oil to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook shallots, stirring occasionally with a slotted metal spoon, until light golden brown, 15–20 minutes (shallots will continue to darken when removed from the oil). Transfer shallots with slotted spoon to paper towels to let drain and cool. Save cooking oil for another use, if you like, or discard. 3. Add lemongrass, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar to dish with chopped shallots and stir until sugar dissolves. Add beef, mix until well coated, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill. Grill beef over medium-hot heat, turning once, until just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer grilled meat to a large bowl. Add mangoes and dressing, and toss gently. Add cilantro, basil, peanuts, and fried shallots, and toss gently again. Adjust seasonings and serve. Shanghai-Style Hot and Sour Soup (Hushi Suanla Geng) SERVES 4 This rendition of hot and sour soup gets its sourness from chinkiang vinegar, a rice vinegar reminiscent of balsamic. 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1⁄4 cup hot bean sauce 4 cups Chicken Stock 1 tbsp. shaoxing jiu (Chinese rice wine) 1⁄4 tsp. sugar 1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper Pinch of salt 16 large peeled deveined shrimp, 12 butterflied (tails left on), 4 finely chopped 1⁄4 lb. silken tofu, julienned 1⁄2 cup drained canned bamboo shoots, julienned 1⁄2 oz. dried wood ear mushrooms (about 2 medium or 1 large), soaked in water for 1 hour, rinsed and julienned 6 small dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for 30 minutes, julienned 2 large scallops, julienned 2 tbsp. cornstarch 2–3 tbsp. chinkiang vinegar 2 scallions, finely chopped 1. Heat a large flat-bottomed wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, then bean sauce, and cook until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Add stock, wine, sugar, pepper, and salt; bring to a boil. Add butterflied shrimp and simmer until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside. Stir in chopped shrimp, tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and scallops; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, for 3 minutes. 2. Stir cornstarch together with 3 tbsp. water in a bowl. Uncover wok, return soup to a boil, stir in cornstarch mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, and ladle soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with butterflied shrimp and scallions. Japanese-Style Chicken Curry (Wafuu Curry) SERVES 4 3 cups Chicken Stock 1 tbsp. canola or peanut oil 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" chunks Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp. butter 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger 1 medium yellow onion, 1⁄2 finely chopped, 1⁄2 cut into 1" pieces 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 3 tbsp. flour 2 tbsp. curry powder, preferably S&B brand 2 tbsp. crushed tomatoes 1 dried bay leaf 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut crosswise into 1⁄2" rounds 1 medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1" chunks 1 small fuji apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated 1 tsp. honey 1 tbsp. soy sauce Steamed short-grain white rice 1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium pot over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper to taste, add to the skillet, and cook, stirring and turning frequently, until deep golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, transfer the chicken to a large plate, and set aside. 2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the ginger, chopped onions, and garlic and cook, stirring often to scrape up any browned bits, until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the curry powder and the tomatoes, stir well to combine, and remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1⁄2 cup of hot chicken stock and whisk vigorously to combine, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. (The browned bits will contribute greatly to the taste and color of the curry.) Whisk the curry mixture into the pot of simmering chicken stock, then add the reserved browned chicken thighs, onion pieces, bay leaf, carrots, and potatoes. Bring the curry to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. 3. Add the apples, honey, soy sauce, and salt to taste to the curry and stir well to combine. Cook the curry, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat, until the flavors meld, about 5 minutes more. Serve the curry with steamed rice. Teriyaki Sauce MAKES 1 1⁄3 CUPS This recipe for a classic teriyaki sauce came from Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art (Kodansha International, 1980) by Shizuo Tsuji. This formula is not as sweet as the American version, but it's our favorite. 7 tbsp. sake 7 tbsp. mirin 7 tbsp. dark soy sauce 1 tbsp. sugar 1. Bring sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Use at once, or cool, bottle, and store in the refrigerator.