Description
Bun bowls are one of the great lunches of Vietnamese cooking — cold rice vermicelli topped with grilled marinated pork, heaps of fresh herbs, pickled carrots and daikon, crushed peanuts, and nuoc cham dressing. Every bite has something crunchy, something fresh, something savory, and something bright. It is a perfect warm-weather dinner that eats light but fills you up.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 1/4 lbs pork shoulder, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup daikon radish, julienned
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup butter lettuce, torn
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 Thai chile, minced
Instructions
- Marinate the pork slices in 2 tablespoons fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and oil for at least 15 minutes.
- Make the nuoc cham: stir together 3 tablespoons fish sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, garlic, warm water, and Thai chile until the sugar dissolves.
- Quick-pickle the carrots and daikon by tossing with rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and a pinch of salt. Let sit 15 minutes.
- Cook the rice vermicelli according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook the marinated pork in a hot skillet or grill pan over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
- Divide the cold noodles among 4 bowls. Top with sliced pork, pickled vegetables, lettuce, mint, and cilantro.
- Drizzle with nuoc cham and scatter crushed peanuts over the top.
Notes
- The nuoc cham dressing is the soul of this dish — it balances salty, sweet, sour, and spicy in one sauce. Make it first so the flavors have time to meld.
- Cold noodles are traditional and intentional. The contrast of cold noodles and warm grilled meat is part of the appeal.
- The fresh herbs are structural, not garnish — mint and cilantro are what keep the bowl from tasting heavy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 56
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 75