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Vietnamese-Style Pork
The Minimalist Cooks Dinner: More than 100 Recipes for Fast Weeknight Meals and Casual Entertaining
by Mark Bittman, 2001, Broadway Books, a division of Random
House
Time: 30 to 40
minutes
Makes 4 servings
“This dish has the beguiling,
distinctively Southeast Asia aroma of garlic – lots
of
it – nuoc mam (the
Vietnamese fish sauce known more commonly by its Thai
name, nam pla), and
lime. But there are a couple of ‘secret ingredients’ as well, including
mildly acidic lemongrass and spicy black pepper in large quantities.
Traditionally, this dish also contains caramelized sugar, which contributes
a
burnt sweetness but the intense heat of the grill makes honey a good
substitute,
and a much easier one. So the marinade can be assembled in 10
minutes, the
grill preheated in another 10, and the pork grilled in 10: a
great, intensely
flavored, 30-minute dish.”
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce), or
to taste
(you may substitute soy sauce)
2 limes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds country-style pork chops,
preferably boneless
Chopped Thai basil, mint, cilantro, or
a combination,
optional
1. Combine the
lemongrass, garlic, honey, and nam pla in a bowl; whisk
to blend. Add the
juice of 1 lime and lots of pepper – about a teaspoon.
Marinate the pork in
this mixture while you start a charcoal or wood
fire, preheat a gas grill to
the maximum, or preheat a broiler; the fire
should be moderately hot, and
the grill rack should be about 4 inches
from the heat source.
2. Grill or broil the pork, spooning the marinade over it as
it cooks, until
done, about 10 minutes. Turn only once, so that each side
browns
nicely. Serve with wedges of lime, garnished with the optional herb.
Keys to Success
You can use pork chops for this dish, but so-called country-style ribs
(actually
the shoulder end of the pork loin) remain moister during grilling.
And if you
can find these “ribs” with the bone out, so much the better –
you’ve essentially got a 1-inch-thick pork loin steak that grills
beautifully.
To prepare lemongrass, first peel it like a scallion. Virtually the entire
inner
core is tender enough to mince (in the winter, when the stalks have
been in
storage, you may have to peel off layer after layer to fine the
edible center).
Figure a yield of about a tablespoon of minced lemongrass
per stalk.
Serving suggestion:
Cold
Noodles with Sesame (or Peanut) Sauce
Featured Archive Recipe:
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