Phạm Trường Hà
I’ve been craving a lot of Vietnamese foods lately. It’s comforting, nostalgic and just damn tasty.
I’ve said it many times before but I didn’t realize how good we had it growing up with all of that deliciousness around us all of the time. I definitely took it for granted.
And now when I want good quality Vietnamese food, I have to make the haul up to Orange County where I beg my family to feed me or resort to swinging by one of the gazillion Việt spots in Little Saigon.
But then there are times where I’m home in San Diego and have to fend for myself.
Don’t get me wrong-I do like cooking Vietnamese foods, I’m just not the best at it. For sure, Mom reigned supreme and the aunties too. And nowadays, I’d say big seester N and our cousies A and T are right up there. That alone makes the idea of ever moving back to OC palatable because they’ve got skills!
There are a few Việt dishes I’m happy to make and feel pretty good about.
- Cà Ri Gà -Vietnamese Chicken Curry
- Chả Cá Thăng Long – Vietnamese Style Fish with Turmeric & Dill
- Bún Thịt Nướng – Vietnamese Grilled Pork over Vermicelli Noodles
- Gỏi Mít Trộn – Vietnamese Young Jackfruit Salad
Seestrah T posted a pic the other week of her grilling up some Vietnamese style pork chops which made me think of two things. First — hey! She never makes that for me! And second -sheesh, now I’m really hankering for some pork chops!
It was time to take matters into my own hands and luckily, I had all the ingredients already! My version of the marinade has staples like fish sauce, soy, sugar, shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chilies. Our cousin T that lives in Đà Nẵng makes the most EPIC sườn nướng (grilled pork chops). Years ago she told us what she marinated them with but I think the woman is holding out on us because mine never taste the same! And maybe it has to do with the fact that she grills them over this teeny-tiny charcoal grill on her patio floor and perhaps that’s where the essence of Việt Nam somehow creeps in and flavors it.
Who knows….
For these chops, I generally prefer to use a thinner cut—about 3/4 inch thickness. They remind me more of how we have them in Việt Nam or at the restaurants here. But if you prefer a thicker cut, go for it! Just be sure to marinate them overnight or at least for 6-8 hours.
Next, I throw them on a screaming hot grill and they cook up for 1-2 minutes on each side. Easy peasy! Keep in mind that the grilling time will increase if you choose thicker cuts.
Once finished, you’ll get all of these lovely charred bits from the sugar in the marinade. It’s at that point that you’ll want to quickly brush them with hành mơ — scallion oil.
I serve these pork chops pretty traditionally with a heaping scoop of steamed rice, sliced cucumbers & tomatoes, lots of spicy nước chấm (dipping sauce) and of course – a sunny side up fried egg with crispy edges. Now I know these days, some frown upon crispy edges on eggs. Quite frankly, I don’t know when that became out of fashion—but dang it! It’s darn tasty that way and adds texture.
If you order this dish out, you may also find that instead of a fried egg it will be served with Chả Trứng which is like a steamed egg meatloaf. It may sound strange to you but trust me, it’s awesome. Honestly, I was too lazy to make it (though it’s not difficult) but I promise I will someday soon and will share it with y’all.
On this particular day, I plated them with a few Chả Giò . It’s not something I always do but seeing how I had a stash in my freezer, it seemed like the proper occasion to bust them out.
And with that dear peeps, Ăn Ngon! ❤
_____________________________________________________________________________ Cơm Sườn Nướng {Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops with Rice} Serves 4
Ingredients:
Sườn Nướng – Grilled Pork Chops: 3 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh lemongrass 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic ½ tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger 2 Thai chili peppers, minced ½ teaspoon black pepper 4 bone-in pork chops
Nước Chấm -Spicy Dipping Sauce: ¼ cup sugar 2 tablespoons hot water ¼ cup fish sauce ¼ cup fresh lime juice 2 Thai chili peppers, minced ½ tablespoon Sambal chili paste, more or less to taste
Hành Mơ – Scallion Oil: ½ cup light olive oil 1 cup chopped scallions
Serve With: steamed rice 4 crispy fried eggs sliced cucumber sliced tomatoes lettuce or mixed greens
In a bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, oil, soy sauce and sugar together until the latter has dissolved. Stir in the shallots, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chili peppers and black pepper. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish or large resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the pork, ensuring that the meat is well coated. Cover the dish (or seal the bag) and allow the pork to marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. (If using thick chops, marinade overnight.)
Prepare the nước chấm (spicy dipping sauce). In a small bowl or jar, mix ¼ cup sugar with the hot water until the sugar starts to dissolve. Stir in ¼ cup fish sauce, lime juice, chili peppers and Sambal chili paste. Set aside.
Prepare the hành mơ (scallion oil). In a small sauté pan, slowly heat the canola oil. Add the chopped scallions. Cook the scallions on very low heat until they are wilted but still bright green. Approximately 2-3 minutes. Pull from heat and set aside.
Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Bring your grill to medium-high heat and lightly grease the grates with oil or cooking spray. Grill the pork chops for 1-2 minutes on each side until browned and slightly charred. If using thick chops, add an additional 2-3 minutes per side—depending on thickness. Remove the pork chops from the grill and generously brush them with the hành mơ. Cover and set aside while 4 plates are prepared.
On each plate, place a generous mound of rice and brush it with the hành mơ. Place one fried egg over the rice and add a few slices of cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce/greens on the plate. Add one pork chop along with a small bowl of nước chấm.
Serve immediately.
