Grilled Pork Vermicelli Salad (Bún Thịt Nướng)

In a bowl, mash the minced lemongrass with the back of a spoon for a minute before mixing it with the garlic, shallot, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, five-spice, honey, pepper and oil. Toss the sliced pork in this marinade, pressing it in with your hands, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Mashing the lemongrass first breaks its fibers so it releases its fragrant oils into the marinade instead of just sitting on top.

• 600 g pork
• 3 stalks lemongrass
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp oil

✅ Done when: the pork has marinated at least 2 hours and smells strongly of lemongrass

Sprinkle the julienned carrot and daikon with the salt, squeeze gently for a minute and let sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid that comes out — this draws out excess water so the pickle stays crisp instead of watery. Stir in the vinegar and sugar until dissolved and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using.

• 1 carrot
• 200 g daikon
• 60 ml rice vinegar
• 50 g sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

✅ Done when: the vegetables taste bright, sweet-sour and still crunchy

Stir the fish sauce, sugar and warm water together until the sugar dissolves completely, then stir in the lime juice, garlic and chilies. Taste and adjust: it should hit salty, sweet, sour and spicy all at once, with no single flavor dominating.

• 60 ml fish sauce
• 60 g sugar
• 60 ml lime juice
• 120 ml warm water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1–2 Thai chilies

✅ Done when: the sauce tastes balanced between salty, sweet, sour and spicy

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice vermicelli for 3–4 minutes, stirring gently, until just tender with no raw bite. Drain and rinse immediately under cold running water, tossing with your hands, until the noodles are completely cool and no longer sticky.

• 300 g rice vermicelli

✅ Done when: the noodles are tender, cool and loose, not clumped together

Light a charcoal grill and let the coals burn down to a steady high heat (about 220°C (425°F)), or heat a grill pan on the stove until very hot. Grill the pork slices in a single layer for 3–4 minutes per side, until charred at the edges and cooked through, with no pink remaining and an internal temperature of at least 70°C (160°F).

• 600 g marinated pork (from step 1)

✅ Done when: the pork is charred at the edges and fully cooked through with no pink inside

Divide the cold vermicelli among bowls and top with lettuce, mint, basil, perilla, cucumber and bean sprouts. Pile the hot grilled pork on top, add a spoonful of pickled carrot and daikon, then scatter over the crushed peanuts and fried shallots. Spoon the nuoc cham generously over everything just before serving, and toss at the table so every bite gets dressed.

• 1 head lettuce
• a handful mint
• a handful Thai basil
• a handful perilla
• 1 cucumber
• 100 g bean sprouts
• 50 g peanuts
• 2 tbsp fried shallots

✅ Done when: every bowl is topped and dressed with nuoc cham