recipes

Pork Meatball & Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Nuoc Cham

September 07

Serves 4
40 minutes

Method

1. Peel the ginger and place into a mini food processor along with the garlic, chillies and coriander. Blitz until finely chopped then place into a large bowl along with the pork mince, soy sauce and fish sauce. Mix everything together well to combine - using your hands is probably easiest here, then shape into 16 small meatballs.
2. Place the fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, light brown sugar and soy sauce into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of a lime and stir together to dissolve the sugar. Finely slice the shallot and chillies and finely chop the garlic. Place into the bowl and stir again to combine. Add 70ml cold water, stir and taste for seasoning then set aside.
3. Get the meatballs into a pan and set over a medium heat. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 10 - 12 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
4. Boil the kettle and place the rice noodles into a heatproof bowl. Once boiled, pour the kettle over the noodles and set aside to soak according to the packet instructions, then drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with a drizzle of sesame oil and divide between four bowls.
5. Divide the salad ingredients and dressing between the bowls then top with the meatballs.
6. To finish garnish with the herbs and dig in!

Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic

2 small Thai red chillies

Handful of cilantro, plus extra to serve

1.1 lbs Pork mince

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

For the dressing:

5 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 ½ tbsp light brown sugar

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 lime

2 small shallots

2 garlic cloves

1 – 2 small Thai red chillies, depending on your spice tolerance

To serve:

12 oz Rice noodles

Sesame oil

2 carrots, julienned

1 cucumber, deseeded and thinly sliced

Handful of edamame beans

Large handful of mint leaves

Large handful of basil leaves

Large handful of cilantro leaves