Vietnamese lemongrass chicken noodle bowls

Ingredients

For 4 servings.

1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. Use metric quantities where stated. Times and servings are indicative.

• 600–800 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, bruised and cut into pieces
• 2 chopped garlic cloves for the marinade
• 2 tbsp lime juice for the marinade
• 2 tbsp fish sauce for the marinade
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for the marinade and 1/2 tbsp for cooking
• 60 ml fish sauce for the nuoc cham
• 60 ml rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp white sugar and 120 ml water
• 2 garlic cloves and 1 red chilli, chopped, for the sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice for the sauce
• 200 g dried rice vermicelli
• 2 carrots and 2 cucumbers, cut into fine strips
• 5 cups finely sliced iceberg lettuce
• 3 cups bean sprouts
• 1 handful mint and 1 handful coriander
• Lime wedges and sliced chilli, optional, to serve

Step-by-step method

1. Combine lemongrass, the 2 marinade garlic cloves, marinade lime juice and fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and 1 tbsp oil. Coat the chicken and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
2. Make the nuoc cham with the remaining fish sauce, vinegar, white sugar, water, garlic, chilli and lime juice. Stir to dissolve sugar and leave for at least 20 minutes.
3. Prepare noodles according to the packet, drain and rinse cold. Wash and prepare vegetables, sprouts and herbs.
4. Heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Lift chicken from the marinade, removing large lemongrass pieces. Cook on both sides until browned and thoroughly cooked, about 6–8 minutes depending on thickness.
5. Rest chicken for 5 minutes and slice. Divide noodles among four bowls and arrange vegetables and herbs on top.
6. Add chicken and spoon over nuoc cham. Serve remaining sauce on the side with optional lime and chilli.