Grilled Lemongrass Pork Tenderloin Skewers: Suon Nuong Xa Recipe courtesy Corinne Trang, Authentic Vietnamese Cooking, Simon & Schuster, 1999

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 1 minute Yield: 4 servings
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves and tops removed, root ends trimmed, and stalks finely grated
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
16 bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes and drained
1 recipe Rice Vermicelli: Bun Thit, recipe follows
1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
Nuoc cham, as needed, recipe follows

Stir together the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and oil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the lemongrass, shallot, garlic and pork and mix to coat the meat evenly. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Slide 2 to 4 slices of pork onto each skewer so the meat is flat with the skewer going through the slices several times. Grill over a barbecue (make sure that the flames have subsided and the coals are red with white ashes). Alternatively, heat a well-oiled grill pan or non-stick skillet over high heat and, working in batches, cook the skewers until the edges crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove the skewers from the grilled pork.

Divide the grilled pork among the bowls of rice vermicelli. Sprinkle peanuts and drizzle nuoc cham over each serving. Serve immediately.

Fish Dipping Sauce: Nuoc Cham
Recipe courtesy Corinne Trang, Authentic Vietnamese Cooking, Simon & Schuster, 1999

5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup lime or lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 or more bird's eye or Thai chiles, seeded and minced
1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced, and rinsed (optional)

Whisk together the sugar, water, fish sauce, and lime juice in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic, chile, and shallot, and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Yield: 2 cups Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Non-Active Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Extra noodle bit:

If using dried rice vermicelli, place it in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water. Let stand until pliable, about 20 minutes. Bring a pot of hot water to a boil. Drain and divide the rice vermicelli into 4 equal portions. Place 1 portion at a time in a sieve and lower it into the boiling water. Untangle the noodles with chopsticks and boil until tender but firm, about 3 seconds. Remove, drain, and place in a large bowl. Repeat this step until you have 4 individual servings. If using fresh bun, there is no need to boil them.