Bun thit nuong with picked carrots and daikon

Vietnamese food was a revelation - fresh, flavourful, and enticing. This dish perfectly suits a hot, humid night. The freshness of the mint and cucumber, and the crunch of the peanuts, perfectly complement the light rice noodles, sweet and spicy dressing, and rich pork or aubergine. Add some pickled vegetables for a final zing, and you've got yourself one hell of a meal.

This version comes from Northern Vietnam, where minced pork patties are frequently served alongside (in which case it's called bun cha), but similar versions of this dish are also found throughout Vietnam. The aubergine is a less traditional step; I got the idea of including it from the book Fragrant Heart (a travel book that also includes recipes, although her versions are a bit more Westernised than mine, presumably to make them more accessible to those who don't live near good Asian markets).

Recipe

Bun thit nuong

Marinade:
1 shallot, minced or finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2-3 tsp)
1 stalk lemongrass, minced (about 2-3 tsp)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp sweet soy sauce (the kind that contains molasses/caramel - if you don't have this, just substitute dark soy sauce and a pinch of dark brown sugar or jaggery)
2 tbsp light cooking oil (something without a strong taste)
pinch of black pepper

Nuoc cham sauce: (there are lots of different variations on this, so feel free to adjust the level of ingredients until you find your perfect match of salty-sweet-sour-hot).
3 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp sugar
4 tsp lime juice
4 tsp fish sauce
1-2 tsp minced chilli
1 tsp minced garlic

1 large aubergine, sliced into rounds or wedges*
1 large pork shoulder steak (optional).*
3 tbsp raw peanuts, skin removed
2/3 cup cucumber, cut into match-sticks
small handful of lettuce leaves, washed and torn into pieces
small handful of herbs - you could use Vietnamese mint leaves, perilla leaves, sawtooth herb, culantro, or even holy basil. The aim is to get a range of minty, bitter and fresh flavours
thin rice noodles or vermicelli
2 spoonfuls of pickled carrots and daikon (recipe below)

That is a thing of beauty (and taste).

Method:

1) Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together. Spread over the pork steams and aubergine slices. Set aside at least one hour (overnight is great, if you have time). Traditionally the pork is sliced thinly before marinating and cooking, but I find it's too easy for the pork to become dry that way, so I like to slice it after cooking.

2) Heat the grill on your oven, and place the pork steak and aubergine onto a baking tray (make sure you use one with sides, as some liquid will be produced as the aubergine and pork cooks). Grill until the pork and aubergine are cooked through and slightly charred, as a smokey bbq flavour is key for this dish. This should take about 15-20 minutes, depending on the heat of your grill and the thickness of your pieces. Keep an eye on them during the last 5 minutes of cooking to ensure you don't burn them. Traditionally this dish is grilled over charcoal, FYI

3) While the aubergine and pork are cooking, toast the peanuts in a dry fry pan until they take on some colour. Watch the carefully as they can burn very quickly. Set aside to cool and chop coarsely.

4) Make the nuoc cham sauce by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside.

5) Bring a pot of water to the boil and prepare your noodles as per the package's instructions. Drain and rinse in cool water - the noodles are eaten at room temperature for this dish.

6) Assemble the dish - split the noodles between 2 plates or bowls. Slice the pork and place the meat and aubergines on top of the noodles. Add the cucumber, lettuce, and a spoonful of pickled carrot and daikon (recipe below) to each. Sprinkle over the peanuts and herbs. Drizzle with some of the sauce, and serve the extra sauce on the side.

*Don't be afraid to substitute other, non-traditional meats and vegetables for the ones suggested here. I made this recently with salmon fillets, and a mix of aubergine and courgette. It tasted great.

Serves: 2
Preparation and cooking time: 1+ hour marinating, 25 minutes cooking and assembly

Don't skimp on the nuoc cham sauce, whatever you do

Pickled carrot and daikon (do chua)

1 small carrot, julienned
3 inch piece of daikon*, julienned
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

* Daikon is a large, mild white radish, available in Asian grocery stores. If you can't find it, you can make this with just carrots. Don't be tempted to try salad radishes - the taste too strong.

Like many recipes, exactly how much sugar and salt you add is a matter of personal taste. If you want a less sweet version, you can reduce the amount of sugar significantly, and just add a slightly higher ratio of vinegar to water.

Mix the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. and stir well to start dissolving the sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, while you julienne the vegetables.

If you plan to keep this for several weeks, disinfect a suitable pickling jar by submerging in a large pot of boiling water for several minutes. If you're just making a small batch to use within a few days, you can skip this step and just use a clean plastic or glass container (as long as it can be sealed with a lid or clingfilm).

Add the vegetables to the jar, and pour over the vinegar mix. Seal, and let cool, then put in the fridge for a minimum of 2 days before eating. Once the jar is unsealed, it will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks before the carrots start getting soft.

NB: if you haven't prepared this in advance, there's a quick version as well. Omit the water, and use straight vinegar (with a little sugar and salt for seasoning) instead. This version will be ready to eat in as little as an hour, although it will taste better if you leave it a few hours.