Bun Recipe

Place the dried rice vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl. Pour 1200 ml (about 5 cups) of just-boiled water over the noodles, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover and let soak 4–6 minutes, stirring gently after 3 minutes to separate strands. Allow until tender but still slightly firm (al dente).

Drain noodles in a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Shake off excess water and transfer to a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon neutral oil, if using, to prevent sticking and set aside at room temperature.

Make the nuoc cham dressing: in a small bowl combine 3 tablespoons store-bought or prepared nuoc cham (or mix 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar and 4 tbsp water to taste), 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced chili. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust lime, sugar or fish sauce to achieve a balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Reserve until assembly.

Marinate pork

Place the thinly sliced pork in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon minced shallot, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon additional fish sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours for more flavor.

Cook pork

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add marinated pork in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook 2–4 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes, then slice into bite-size pieces if needed.

Prepare vegetables and herbs: shred lettuce, julienne cucumber and carrot, rinse and drain bean sprouts, and pick small basil, mint and cilantro leaves. Thinly slice scallions. If using pickled daikon and carrot, drain well.

If you prefer slightly warmed bean sprouts, blanch them in boiling water 10–15 seconds then plunge into ice water; otherwise leave raw for crunch.

Portion: divide the drained rice vermicelli evenly among 4 bowls (about 2 oz dried noodles per serving).

Layer vegetables: top each bowl of noodles with a handful of shredded lettuce, 1/4 cup cucumber, 2 tablespoons carrot, 1/4 cup bean sprouts, and a small handful of the mixed herbs (basil, mint, cilantro). Scatter 2–3 tablespoons of the cooked pork over each bowl.

Garnish: sprinkle crushed roasted peanuts (about 1/2 tablespoon per bowl), fried shallots if using, and thinly sliced scallions. Place lime wedges alongside.

Finish with dressing: either drizzle 1–3 tablespoons of the nuoc cham dressing over each assembled bowl to taste or serve the dressing on the side for diners to add. Toss lightly before eating so noodles and ingredients absorb the dressing.