Vietamese Bun (pronounced boon)

(serving for four)

Ingredients for chicken:

- 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs

- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce

- 1 tbsp granular sugar

- 2 tbsp of olive oil

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 stalk of lemongrass

 

Ingredients for sauce:

- 3 tbsp of fish sauce
- 3 tbsp of original rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp of lime juice
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, minced
- 1/2 tsp of chili sauce (tabasco or sweet chili sauce)

 

 Ingredients for Vermicelli:
- 400 g of Vermicelli (rice noodles)
- 2 cups of bean sprout
- 1/2 cup of carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup of cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 cup of peanuts, chopped, roasted
- 6 fresh mint leaves, minced

 

Preparation:

- Pound chicken thighs into a 1/4 inch thick pieces.

- Wash the lemongrass and cut into short sticks. Place lemongrass sticks in a pot with 2 tbsp water and boil. Turn down the heat to simmer for 5 minutes, until 1 tbsp of juice remains.

- Marinate the chicken with the fish sauce, sugar, green onion, olive oil, garlic, lemongrass juice, and chili sauce.

- Mix the all the sauce ingredients except peanuts together. Simmer on low heat until sugar dissolves. Add peanuts and set aside to cool.

- Thread the chicken thighs on skewer and place on grill. Close the grill lid and grill for 12 minutes. Turn once.

- Alternatively, Preheat oven at 375F. Place the chicken thighs on a wire rack inside a roasting pan. Add 2 cups of water in the roasting pan to avoid burns. Roast for 25-30 minutes.

- Fill a large pot with plenty of water and boil. When water is boiled, turn off the burner and soak Vermicelli in hot water for 10 minutes. If Vermicelli is not tender, turn the heat up and boil for another 2 minutes. Rinse and drain the Vermicelli and distribute into 4 large bowls.

- Divide the sauce into bowls. Add appropriate amount of bean sprout, carrot, cucumber, and peanut into each bowl. Sprinkle with mint and add chicken on top.

 

Note: this recipe is based on "Canadian Living, Special Issue, Spring 2008