Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Van suggests shopping for Vietnamese ingredients at Fubonn Supermarket (2850 SE 82nd Ave, 503-517-8877).

DRESSING
1/2 cup fish sauce
1 cups lukewarm water
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp chile garlic sauce
Juice of 1 lime

SKEWERS
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup yellow onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp lemongrass, outer layers peeled and discarded, inner layers minced
1 tsp molasses
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb pork loin, thinly sliced
12 medium tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined

TO SERVE
2 carrots, peeled, trimmed and julienned
1 daikon, peeled, trimmed and julienned
3 tbsp rice vinegar
8 oz bun (vermicelli rice noodles)
1 head green leaf lettuce, trimmed and chopped into thin strips
16 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
1/4 lb bean sprouts, rinsed
1/4 cup skinless peanuts, chopped
4 sprigs cilantro

DRESSING
(1) Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk well until sugar is dissolved.
(2) Set aside.

SKEWERS
(1) Combine garlic, onions, fish sauce, honey, sesame seeds, lemongrass, molasses and sesame oil in a medium bowl.
(2) Skewer pork and shrimp separately, brush with marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
(3) Grill meat on an outdoor or electric grill or under oven broiler until slightly charred, about 2-3 minutes each side for the pork and 1-2 minutes each side for the shrimp.
(4) Set aside.

TO SERVE
(1) Combine carrots and daikon in a medium bowl and sprinkle with rice vinegar. Set aside.
(2) Cook noodles in boiling water for 8 minutes. Strain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
(3) Divide lettuce, mint and cucumbers evenly into bottom of each serving bowl.
(4) Add noodles to each bowl. Top each bowl with equal amounts of carrots, daikon, bean sprouts, pork and shrimp.
(5) Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro sprigs. Season to taste with dressing.