Vietnamese Pork Bun Cha

• 900 g pork fillet, cut into 1 inch slices
• 3 stalks lemongrass, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped (or 3 tbl lime juice)
• 1½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbl sugar
• 6 tbl fish sauce

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 medium fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped (keep seeds to increase spiciness)
• 2 tbl sugar
• 2 tbl fresh lime juice
• 100 mL/just under ½ c rice wine vinegar
• 100 mL/just under ½ c fish sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbl groundnut oil
• 450 g basmati rice
• 1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
• 6 carrots, peeled and julienned (matchsticks)
• 1 large handful of mint leaves
• 1 large handful of coriander/cilantro

Method:

1. Place a medallion of pork between two sheets of parchment paper. Pound out the meat until about ¼ inch thick. Repeat with each slice, using the same parchment paper. I prefer to slice the pork into bite-size pieces now, but you can leave it large if you like.
2. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl and add the meat, stirring until it is coated evenly. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. To make the dressing, pound the garlic, chilli, and sugar using a mortar until it becomes an even paste. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and stir to combine. (You can also use a food processor or stick blender. Put all the ingredients in and whiz until the garlic and chillies have become small bits.) Set aside.
4. When the pork is done marinating, get the rice cooking and heat the oil in a griddle on high. To have everything ready at the same time, start the veg steaming and put the pork on the grill when the rice is about half-way done. The veg should steam until just al dente, which should only take about 5 minutes. Grill the pork for 3 minutes on each side, or until the meat develops a nice char.
5. To serve, spoon a large helping of rice, veg, and pork into a wide, shallow bowl. Top everything with a few tablespoons of the dressing and a good sprinkling of the mint and coriander. Feel free to add some chilli slices if you want more spice.
6. Finally, make sure your taste buds are prepared for a flavor explosion and enjoy!