Nhi Mundy dusted off her family’s best old recipes when she moved to upstate New York and opened Bà & Me. The lemongrass pork that tops her noodle bowl is a secret family recipe, but we think this flavorful variation is just as delicious. Slideshow: Noodle Salad Recipes
How to Make It
In a large bowl, whisk the oyster sauce with the vegetable oil, shallots, lemongrass, brown sugar, honey, 2 tablespoons of chile sauce, the sesame oil, white pepper, baking soda, 5 of the garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the pork and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the carrot and daikon with the vinegar, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well and refrigerate until chilled.
In a bowl, stir 1/4 cup of water with the lime juice, fish sauce and jalapeño. Add the remaining garlic clove and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the vermicelli until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water. Pat dry and transfer to bowls.
Light a grill. Remove the pork from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Grill over high heat, turning, until lightly charred and just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top the noodles with the pork and some of the pickled vegetables. Serve with mint, cilantro, romaine, cucumber and the chile-lime sauce.