Deluxe Vermicelli

Linh Tran,
Viva Vietnamese Restaurant

Don’t be intimidated by this multi-step recipe, star of this issue’s cover. The effort is worth the reward: a hearty meal in a bowl to suit all tastes.

Ingredients
Charbroiled Pork
2 lbs lean pork tenderloin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp pepper
4 Tbsp sesame oil

Grilled Shrimp
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
15 shrimp, deveined and shells removed

Spring Rolls
2 oz thin cellophane noodles
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, julienned
5 shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
1 lb ground pork
1 pkg (approx. 30) round rice paper wraps
5 cups vegetable oil

Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot chile paste
1/4 cup fish sauce

Vegetable and Vermicelli Bowl
1 16-oz pkg rice vermicelli noodles
3 cups bean sprouts
1 lg English cucumber, julienned
1 lg carrot, julienned
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 small bunch mint leaves
1 cup peanuts, crushed

Method
Charbroiled Pork

1. Cut pork into 4-5″ long slices.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
3. Add pork slices and marinate in fridge for at least 4 hrs.
4. Preheat barbecue on med-high.
5. Grill pork slices 4-5 mins, turning once.

Grilled Shrimp

1. In a small bowl, combine salt, soy sauce and sesame oil.
2. Dip shrimp in marinade.
3. Barbecue on med-high for 3-4 mins, turning once.

Spring Rolls

1. Fill a large glass bowl with cold water and submerge cellophane noodles.
2. Remove and drain after 30 mins or when noodles become soft.
3. In a large bowl, combine garlic, carrots, mushrooms, soy sauce, pepper, ground pork and noodles.
4. Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water.
5. Submerge one rice wrapper in water for a few secs and lay flat on counter.
6. Using a spoon, place 2-3 Tbsp of pork mixture near bottom of wrap, leaving about 1″ for easier folding.
7. Fold bottom, then sides and roll.
8. Repeat steps 5-7 until pork mixture is finished.
9. In a large pot, heat vegetable oil on med-high.
10. In batches of 5, fry rolls for about 10 mins.

Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce)

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and place in fridge

Vermicelli

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to boil on stovetop.
2. Add rice vermicelli noodles and cook for about 7 mins, or per pkg instructions.
3. Drain and set aside.

Assembly

Vegetable and Vermicelli Bowl

1. Distribute noodles evenly amongst 5 large bowls.
2. Add bean sprouts, cucumber, carrot and lettuce to each bowl.
3. Add slices of pork, 3 shrimp and 1 spring roll to each bowl.
4. Add 2-3 Tbsps of Nuoc Mam to each bowl, or to taste.
5. Garnish with mint leaves and crushed peanuts.

Yield 5 servings