Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Ingredients

• pork mince — 500g
• rice vermicelli — 250g
• fish sauce — 3 tbsp
• lime — 1
• carrot — 1
• lettuce — 1
• mint — 1/2 bunch

Method

1. Mix pork mince with a splash of fish sauce, form into small patties.
2. Pan-fry or grill patties until charred and cooked through.
3. Cook vermicelli, rinse under cold water.
4. Whisk remaining fish sauce with lime juice and a little water for dipping sauce.
5. Julienne carrot, shred lettuce.
6. Serve patties over noodles with herbs and dipping sauce.

Ingredients

• beef bones — 1kg
• steak — 400g
• rice noodles — 400g
• star anise — 3
• cinnamon stick — 1
• ginger — 1 knob
• onion — 2
• bean sprouts — 200g
• thai basil — 1/2 bunch
• fish sauce — 2 tbsp

Method

1. Char onion and ginger under the grill until blackened in spots.
2. Simmer beef bones in a large pot of water, skimming scum, for 20 min.
3. Drain and rinse bones, return to a clean pot with fresh water.
4. Add charred onion, ginger, star anise and cinnamon.
5. Simmer gently, uncovered, 2-3 hours to build a clear, fragrant broth.
6. Season broth with fish sauce, strain out solids.
7. Soak rice noodles until soft, then blanch briefly in boiling water.
8. Slice raw steak paper-thin.
9. Divide noodles into bowls, top with raw beef.
10. Ladle over boiling hot broth — this cooks the beef.
11. Serve with bean sprouts, basil, lime and chilli on the side.

Ingredients

• pork belly — 600g
• fish sauce — 3 tbsp
• brown sugar — 3 tbsp
• eggs — 4
• garlic — 2 cloves
• rice — 2 cups

Method

1. Cook rice and boil eggs, peel.
2. Melt sugar in a pot until deep amber caramel.
3. Add pork and garlic, stir to coat.
4. Add fish sauce and enough water to cover, bring to a simmer.
5. Add boiled eggs, simmer uncovered 40 min until pork is tender and sauce has reduced.
6. Serve over rice.

Ingredients

• chicken thighs — 600g
• lemongrass — 2 stalks
• garlic — 2 cloves
• fish sauce — 2 tbsp
• rice — 2 cups

Method

1. Cook rice.
2. Finely chop lemongrass and garlic, rub over chicken with fish sauce.
3. Pan-fry chicken until charred and cooked through.
4. Slice, serve over rice.