Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls – Bun

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

• 1 lb. chicken breast
• 1 TBSP ginger paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 2 TBSP fish sauce
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil

Fish Sauce/Nuoc Cham:

• 4 oz. yellow rock sugar
• 1 c. water
• 5 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 3/4 TBSP chili garlic sauce
• 1/3 c. fish sauce (3 crabs brand)
• Juice from 1 1/2 juicy limes and pulp

Quick Pickled Vegetables:

• 3/4 c. water
• 1/2 c. carrots, julienned
• 1/2 c. daikon radish, julienned
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 TBSP sugar
• 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 c. white vinegar

Vermicelli Bowls:

• Rice noodles, cooked
• 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
• 1 bunch of mint, chopped
• Iceberg lettuce, sliced
• 2 Persian/small cucumbers, diced
• Quick pickled vegetables
• Grilled chicken
• Roasted peanuts, chopped
• Jalapenos, sliced
• Nuoc Cham

Directions:

1. Marinate Chicken: In a Ziploc bag and chicken through vegetable oil. Place in refrigerator for 1 – 24 hours. When ready, remove chicken from marinade and grill or cook as desired.
2. Nuoc Cham: Heat rock sugar and water in a medium to low heat until sugar is melted. In a small blender/food processor, add the lime juice, half of the sugar water, garlic, and chili garlic sauce and blend/blitz until desired texture (longer for smooth, less time for chunky). In a jar with lid, add the sauce along with the remaining sugar water and fish sauce. Set aside.
3. Quick Pickled Vegetables: Add veggies and both vinegars to a jar with a lid. In a small saucepan add water, salt, and sugar and heat on medium low heat until salt and sugar melts; stir and then add to jar with veggies and let cool.
4. Vermicelli Bowls Assembly: To your individual serving bowls, add desired rice noodles, cilantro, mint, lettuce, cucumbers, pickled vegetables, grilled chicken, peanuts, jalapeno slices, and nuoc cham.

Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls – Bun: