Step 2: Cook pasta
Bún Thịt Nướng is made from rice noodles, which you can find in most Asian grocery stores. Above is a picture of my favorite brand. These are medium sized rice noodles. Unfortunately, they aren’t usually marked as medium, so it’s hard to tell. If they aren’t labeled as bean thread, thick, large, or extra large, you can assume they are medium rice noodles.
Cook the noodles according to package instructions. For this particular brand, I had to cook them a little longer than the packet instructions said. Instead of 6-8 minutes according to the cooking instructions on the back, I cooked it for about 10 minutes. To be absolutely sure, carefully remove a pasta from the pot and pinch it between your fingers. If it breaks apart with a little resistance, it’s good to go. Drain the pasta in a colander placed in the sink. Rinse well with cold water to keep them from sticking. Then drain and set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the vegetables
Bún Thịt Nướng is usually served with a variety of vegetables. You can use bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, and thinly sliced cucumbers.
You can also use a collection of traditional Vietnamese herbs known as Rau Thơm. These include peppermint (húng cây), spearmint (húng lủi), coriander (ngò), perilla (tía tô), fishmint (dấp cá or what I like to call death herb because the smell of this herb gets me excited). the knees).
Make the pickled daikon and carrot if using.
Step 4: Prepare the sauce
The sauce, nước chấm, is an essential part of bún thịt nướng.
To make the sauce you will need bottled fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chillies. I like to use coconut water or coconut soda as a secret ingredient, but it’s not mandatory. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.