Lemongrass Pork

Categories: Pork, World Cuisine (Vietnamese)
Contributed by: Kelly CA

Here is my all-time fave...this is absolutely SUCCULENT! DROOLING just thinking about this dish! You can also use the marinade for chicken, salmon or shrimp.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 stalks lemongrass {See preparation of lemongrass below}
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
16 bamboo skewers, soaked for 20 minutes and drained
Nuoc cham, as needed, recipe follows

DIRECTIONS

{Lemongrass preparation : Peel off about 2 outer leaves, then remove much of the woody tops, leaving about 7 inches of stalk. Trim root end off, next chop stalks into slices then finely grate these. Handy easy grating tip: I put the slices in the food processor and chop it all up till it's really tiny. I do a whole bunch at a time and store the excess in my freezer, in a small tupperware. I then take it out as I need to use it.}

1. Stir together the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and oil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the lemongrass, shallot, garlic and meat and mix to coat the meat evenly. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
2. Slide 2 to 4 slices of meat onto each skewer so the meat is flat with the skewer going through the slices several times. Grill over a barbecue (make sure that the flames have subsided and the coals are red with white ashes). Alternatively, heat a well-oiled grill pan or non-stick skillet over high heat and, working in batches, cook the skewers until the edges crisp, about 1 minute per side. Remove the skewers from the grilled meat.

Drizzle nuoc cham over each serving. Serve immediately.

Fish Dipping Sauce: Nuoc Cham
5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup lime or lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 or more bird's eye or Thai chiles, seeded and minced
1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced, and rinsed (optional)

~~Whisk together the sugar, water, fish sauce, and lime juice in a bowl until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic, chile, and shallot, and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.