This Bun Thit Nuong recipe is a combination of many traditional Vietnamese ingredients. The love of the form of a bowl. If you’ve ever had bun is, then you’ll know what I’m talking.
There are sweet bits, tart bits, caramelization, a little crunch and aromatic herbs all in one beautiful, vibrant arrangement. It was among the most popular dishes served at the mom’s restaurant at the time!
Based on the restaurant where you choose to eat the grilled pork served with noodles (bun thit nuong*) You’ll notice that it’s served in various ways.
In the majority of cases, ingredients are similar and both are eaten along with made fish sauce (nuoc or cham).
Thit Nuong literally is a reference to barbecued or baked meat. In this instance, it’s generallybarbecued as the primary meat used is usually pork. It is possible to make this using chicken or beef If you’d like, and it’s also possible.
Maybe you love this Bò Lá Lốt recipe
Bun (pronounced as boon) refers to noodles. In this dish , it’s rice vermicelli noodles that are packaged in small quantities with dried rice sticks.
Variations in Presentation
Southern Vietnam
The manner of serving bun thit nuong shown in the above picture is a typical Southern Vietnamesestyle. The way to eat it is by mixing everything together, including that fish sauce. I prefer to keep the sauce for dipping separate so that there’s no swimming pool of sauce in the middle.
It is helpful to regulate what sauce you consume consumed per bite, since, you know I’m a bit crazy. The same is true for my desserts, salads (che) or any other dishes are served in layers. Why mix everything together when you can create small combinations of your own that allow you to enjoy the flavor more?
The bowl is finished with chopped peanuts (Vietnamese dipping peanut sauce), and onions scallions cooked that are cooked in the oil ( mo hanh that is tempting to put a lot on). I prefer mine filled with egg roll ( cha gio) as well when you have time! I also love adding cucumbers to the dish, which is an Southern ingredient.
Northern Vietnam
The Northern regions, the presentation is slightly different. The rice noodles and the vegetables are each served on a separate plate. The meat is placed in the bowl of a small one, and then soaked in the prepared fish sauce.
The meat is also served with a pork sausage known as Cha (the dish is referred to as bun cha, not). Do Chua (pickled Daikon and carrots) is served to the meat bowl. Northerners consume this by building each bite into their own bowl, which is more in with my eating style..
The Thit Nuong region in Hue Hue, located in the middle of Hue, a completely another beast for an entire other post.
If you choose to serve it and you’ll be going to be treated!
Certain variations in the marinade will also alter the flavor that the food has. The only exception is that Southerners utilize lemongrass in their marinade.
There are recipes for this dish that may also require sesame oil or sesame seeds. However, these are not in line with Northern or Southern traditions (it’s possible that it’s influenced by in the Central region).
Tips for Marinading
Chop and prepare all your ingredients. Mix them all in the bowl prior to making the addition of the meat. This will ensure that the ingredients mix more evenly.
Add the pork back to the mix and mix. Pork shoulder offers a good amount of fat in this, however, it will differ from piece to piece, so the amount of fat will be up to you! Make sure to marinate for at least one hour, however for best results , marinate over night.
The cooking of the Pork
Thit nuong is typically prepared by grilling it, using grilling baskets made of wire similar to that. If you’d prefer to cook traditional, cook it on charcoal. I cooked this in the oven since it’s much simpler and delicious. If you’re in the mood to cook it, it’s worth the effort.
Rice Noodles
The noodles are available in medium, small, and large noodles for around $1.50 per package. I like small and medium thickness for this dish. These thinner noodles also cook faster.
These noodles are available in a variety of Asian supermarkets, however I’m not sure if I’ve seen them at any American supermarkets. American ones are likely to have the pho noodles, but that’s not the type we’re looking to find here. Just boil the dried vermicelli rice (bun ) according to the instructions on the package.
The larger thicknesses will serve if there is no alternative, but they aren’t the best choice for this dish.
Dipping Sauce
Do not forget to make some easy dish sauce made from fish to serve this dish too. The meat has been marinated however the vegetables and noodles require some seasoning. The dish is just not well-seasoned unless this is added!
A lot of people drizzle this into the bowl prior to taking a bite, however I prefer to control every bite, and then make sure to dip the meat before every bite. I tend to eat less than the majority of people and I don’t want my noodles to get soaked up:).
If you’ve received a smorgasbord of information, it’s time to take a bite!
Vietnamese bun thit nuong delicious mix of grilled pork, noodles and vegetables and fish sauce.
BUN THIT NUONG – Vietnamese Grilled Pork & Rice Noodles
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 pounds (680.4 grams) pork shoulder cut into slices (any cut is fine)
- 1 package of rice noodles medium or small thickness
- 4-6 egg rolls Optional
The MARINADE
- 3 tablespoons shallots chopped
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp thick sauce
- 1/2 tbsp of pepper
- 3 Tbsp neutral cooking oil
Vegetables
- Leaf lettuce with green leaves
- mint rau thơm
- Vietnamese perilla (rau tía tô)
- Vietnamese balm (rau Kinh giới)
- cucumbers that have been cut
GARNISH
DIPPING SAUCE
Instructions
- Cut the raw pork in thin slices about 1/8". It is helpful to chill it slightly prior to cooking.
- Mince shallots and garlic. Mix them in a bowl along with sugar as well as fish sauce, the thick soy sauce, pepper along with oil. Mix until sugar is dissolved.
- The meat should be marinated for an hour, or up to a week for better results.
- Roast the meat at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes or until around 80 percent cooked. Continue cooking by broiling at the same time in the oven, until a beautiful golden brown color is developed by flipping the meat pieces midway. Do not look away from the oven!
- Make your bowl by assembling it with vegetables noodles, noodles, and garnish. Some prefer to mix the entire bowl and then pour the sauce of fish on top However, I prefer to create bites in small portions and drizzle the sauce slowly.