Grilled Pork With Green Papaya Salad And Rice Noodles Food

VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK PATTIES WITH RICE NOODLES & SALAD

Steps:

• FOR THE NOODLES AND SALAD: Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Stir in noodles and cook until tender but not mushy, 4 to 12 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse under cold running water until cool. Drain noodles very well, spread on large plate, and let stand at room temperature to dry. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, and mint (and/or basil) separately on large platter and refrigerate until needed.
• FOR THE SAUCE: Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, 1 tablespoon sugar, and garlic to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl and add hot water and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in fish sauce and lime juice. Set aside.
• FOR THE PORK PATTIES: Combine shallot, fish sauce, sugar, baking soda, and pepper in medium bowl. Add pork and mix until well combined. Shape pork mixture into 12 patties, each about 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
• FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
• FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
• Clean and oil cooking grate. Cook patties (directly over coals if using charcoal; covered if using gas) until well charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer grilled patties to bowl with sauce and gently toss to coat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Transfer patties to serving plate, reserving sauce. Serve noodles, salad, sauce, and pork patties separately.

GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the fish sauce and coconut sugar and cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is melted and the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and let the fish sauce syrup cool.
• Mortar and Pestle Method: Before you start throwing things in the mortar, arrange your mise en place in this order: garlic, chiles, green beans, carrot, green papaya, fish sauce syrup, lime juice, peanuts, and tomatoes. Hold the pestle in your dominant hand and a spoon in the other. Rather than pounding straight down, you're going to push the pestle down the sides of the mortar. Throw in the garlic and pound until it becomes a rough, pulpy mash. Add the chiles-pound them heavily if you prefer it spicy, or gently if you want it less spicy. Add the green beans, carrots, and green papaya, bruising lightly with the pestle and mixing with the spoon for about 10 seconds between each addition. Add the lime juice and fish sauce syrup, pound, and mix for another 10 seconds. Add the peanuts and tomatoes and repeat. Everything in the mortar other than the chiles and garlic should be bruised but intact. Don't overpound. If you want to mix a handful of other ingredients you can stir them in at this point, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
• Bowl Method: Combine the fish sauce syrup, lime juice, garlic, and chiles in a blender or food processor and blend until the garlic and chiles are totally pulverized. This is your som tum dressing and it can be refrigerated until you're ready to make the salad. In a mixing bowl, combine the papaya, carrots, and dressing. Using your hands, stir, mix, and squeeze the shredded salad to infuse the dressing and mimic the bruising of the mortar and pestle. Lightly crush the peanuts and toss in, along with the tomatoes. Transfer the salad to a plate and serve with sticky rice.

VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• Soak noodles in hot water 10 minutes, then drain in a large sieve.
• Cook noodles in a 4-quart pot of boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 1 minute. Drain in sieve and rinse under cold water until cold. Drain well and pat noodles dry.
• Whisk together vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and salt in a large bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add noodles, carrot, scallions, herbs, and peanuts, tossing to combine.

GRILLED PORK WITH GREEN PAPAYA SALAD AND RICE NOODLES

Steps:

• To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the pork and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, to prepare the green papaya salad, place all the ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.
• To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle over the salad and toss to combine thoroughly.
• Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat. Add the pork and cook on each side for 1 minute, or until cooked through. Transfer the pork to a plate and cover to keep warm.
• Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rice noodles and cook, following package instructions. Drain well.
• To assemble, arrange 1 cup of lettuce on each of 4 plates. Divide the noodles among the plates and place on top of the lettuce. Add one-fourth of the green papaya salad and pork to each plate. Garnish with the cilantro and toasted peanuts.