serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
1:20 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
1:20
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
It’s a great noodle salad that’s worth the time and effort to make.
The shredded pork in this dish is a great accompaniment to many Vietnamese dishes – from other noodle dishes to banh mi – so feel free to experiment with it!
Ingredients
- 300 g (10½ oz) banh canh (fresh thick tapioca noodles)
- 180 g (6½ oz/2 cups) blanched bean sprouts
- 1 butter (bibb) lettuce, shredded
- 1 Lebanese (short) cucumber, julienned
- handful of herbs, such as mint and Vietnamese mint,
- roughly chopped
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) fried shallots
Pickled carrot and daikon
- 150 ml (5 fl oz) white vinegar
- 100 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 kg carrots, cut into matchsticks
- 300 g daikon (white radish), cut into matchsticks
Spring onion oil
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- pinch salt
- 50 ml vegetable oil
Nuoc mam dipping sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 brid's eye chillies, finely chopped or sliced
- 150 ml fish sauce
- 100 ml white vinegar
- 140 g caster (superfine) sugar
Shredded pork
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless pork shoulder
- 100 g (3½ oz) jasmine rice
- 50 g (1 ¾ oz) pig skin (see note)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp garlic oil
Coconut cream
- 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) coconut milk
- 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 tsp salt
This recipe needs to be started 2 days in advance if making the pickled carrot and daikon component.
Instructions
1. To make the pickle liquid, combine the vinegar and sugar in a bowl and add 100 ml water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Rinse the daikon and carrot under warm running water for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towel. Transfer to a large plastic container or non-reactive bowl. Pour the pickle liquid over the vegetables and set aside in the fridge for 2 days, after which time the pickles will be ready to use. Makes 1.3 kg. Leftover pickle will store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
2. To make the spring onion oil, place the spring onion and salt in a metal bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan to 150ºC (300ºF) on a kitchen thermometer, then pour the oil over the spring onion. Stir and set aside to infuse until you are ready to use. Use on the same day it's made.
3. To make the shredded pork, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add the pork and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the pork from the pan and plunge into a bowl of iced water to cool. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Meanwhile, gently toast the jasmine rice in a dry frying pan over medium heat, stirring often, for 20–30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to cool, then grind to a powder in a food processor.
5. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and run under cold water until cool. Drain again and set aside.
6. Make the coconut cream by warming the coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the milk has thickened to a cream consistency.
7. Make the dipping sauce by combining the ingredients and 200 ml water in a bowl and stiring through until the sugar has dissolved. Makes 600 ml, the remainder can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
8. Cut the pork into matchstick-sized pieces, so it looks shredded. Rinse the pig skin under cold water and drain. In a bowl, combine the pork and pig skin with the ground toasted rice, garlic, sugar, salt and garlic oil.
9. To serve, divide the bean sprouts among four serving bowls. Top with the noodles and shredded pork and generously drizzle over the coconut cream. Finish with the shredded lettuce, cucumber, spring onion oil, herbs, pickles and fried shallots. Serve with the nuoc mam on the side for drizzling over.
Note
• Pig skin can be purchased from Asian butchers. It is basically pork skin with the fat removed, that’s then boiled and sliced super thin.
Recipe from Street Food Vietnam by Jerry Mai, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
It’s a great noodle salad that’s worth the time and effort to make.
The shredded pork in this dish is a great accompaniment to many Vietnamese dishes – from other noodle dishes to banh mi – so feel free to experiment with it!
