(Recipe serves 3-4)
Ingredients
6 pieces (500g) of pork shoulder butt, appro. 1/2 cm thick
1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
2 tbsp water
In a small bowl, mix water and baking soda to dissolve.
Place pork chops in a small mixing bowl and pour the baking soda solution over them,
Mix well and set aside for 30 min in the fridge.
Remove from fridge, rinse twice to remove baking soda solution.
Pat dry, return to mixing bowl and set aside.
Marinade ingredients3 stalks lemongrass, lower white portion only, sliced thinly
1 medium bombay onion, peeled and cut
60g soft palm sugar or honey
1 tsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Garlic Pepper Salt Free Seasoning
1 tsp McCormick Perfect Pinch Vegetable Seasoning
3-4 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
Place all the marinade ingredients in a food blender and pulse to obtain a coarse paste.
Pour the marinate paste over the pork chops and rub to coat evenly.
Set aside to marinate for at least 30 min, preferably overnight in the fridge.
To cook, grill the pork chops, either over a proper charcoal grill or in an oven until both sides are nicely browned and edges slightly charred.
Set aside to rest and cool down until warm before cutting into broad slices.
Nuoc Cham Dip Sauce IngredientsJuice of 6-8 calamansi limes or 3-4 green limes
2 heaped tbsp sugar
100 ml water
3-5 tbsp Vietnamese fish sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bird’s eye chili, deseeded and cut into thin rings
Place all the wet ingredients in a microwave proof bowl and microwave to just melt the sugar.
Add minced garlic and sliced chili. Set aside for later use.
Other ingredients3-4 portions of rice vermicelli (Khanom jeen or laksa noodles), appro. 130g to 150g for each portion, lightly blanched
2 cups lettuce leaves
1 cup Thai basil leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 cup coriander leaves
1 cup crushed peanuts, lightly toasted until fragrant
1 cup pickled white radish and carrot strips (do chua)
2 red chilies, deseeded and sliced
1 green lime, cut into quarters
To assemble, place lettuce leaves over a serving plate.
Place a portion of blanched rice vermicelli over the top of the lettuce and lay a portion of grilled pork chop strips over the rice vermicelli
Place basil, mint, coriander leaves, red chilies as well as pickled white radish and carrot strips sporadically around the plate.
Drizzle Nuoc Cham Dip Sauce generously over the ingredients and sprinkle with a tbsp of crushed peanuts.
Garnish with a quarter of green lime at the side and serve.
To enjoy, squeeze the lime juice over the pork chops and give everything a good toss before eating. Bon appetit!