This is quite literally the “other” favorite dish I discovered as a Vietnamese adult (the first being the Bun Cha Hanoi aka Hanoi Grilled Pork Belly and Pork Patty). Our version is a little variation on the OG dish, which I devoured in Hanoi for the book and . . . holy CRAP was it GOOD! So, feel free to experiment and try out other variations.
Recipe information
Yield
2–4 servings
Ingredients
3
tablespoons fish sauce
1
teaspoon turmeric powder
1
tablespoon minced garlic
1
/2 tablespoon fresh ginger
2
tablespoons finely diced shallots
1
tablespoon chopped dill fronds
1
/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1
pound striped bass skin-on fish filets, or any kind of white fish
1
small yellow or white onion, sliced
1
/3 bunch plus 2/3 bunch fresh dill, stemmed
2
plus 2 scallion stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
Persian cucumber, julienned
1
/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
8
ounces vermicelli, cooked
Butter lettuce
“Mam Nem” (optional)
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Mix fish sauce, turmeric powder, garlic, ginger, shallots, dill fronds, and black pepper in a bowl. Add fish and coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for no longer than 30 minutes, or else the fish will get too salty as you prepare the rest of the recipe.
From Adventures in Starry Kitchen: 88 Asian-Inspired Recipes from America's Most Famous Underground Restaurant © 2017 by Nguyen Tran. Reprinted by permission of Harper One, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.