Vietnamese Broken Rice With Grilled Lemongrass Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 pieces of bone-in center cut pork chops, about 1.25 pounds
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbsps vegetable oil
• 2 tbsps garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup shallots, chopped
• 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 cups jasmine broken rice
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup butter lettuce
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 2 ounces pickled carrot and daikon
• 1/4 cup scallion oil
• nuoc mam for serving
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 8 oz carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 8 oz daikon, cut into matchsticks

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pickled vegetables the day before.

2. 2

   Make the marinade the night before. Tenderize the pork chops with a meat mallet.

3. 3

   Combine the fish sauce, sugar, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add garlic, shallot, lemongrass, and pepper to the bowl.

4. 4

   Arrange the pork chops in a single layer in a container big enough to hold them. Pour the marinade over and mix well to coat the pork chops. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. 5

   When ready to grill, bring the pork chops to room temperature for 30 minutes.

6. 6

   To cook the broken rice, rinse it under cold water twice then drain.

7. 7

   Add rice to a rice cooker and enough water to just cover the rice (a rule of thumb is to measure the rice with your index finger from the top of the rice to your first knuckle). Cook the rice according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8. 8

   Set up the charcoal grill by placing coals on one side and lighting them. Rake the coals to create a flat even bed to create an even steady heat zone.

9. 9

   Once the coals have burned down to about 375-400 degrees F, place the meat over the coals to sear for a minute on each side.

10. 10

    Move the meat to the opposite side, frequently turning and basting with the marinade for 10-12 minutes until cooked through.

11. 11

    Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry sunny side up. Allow the undersides of the eggs to get slightly crispy. Transfer them to a plate until ready to use.

12. 12

    To assemble, divide the rice among serving plates. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes around the edge. Top with pork chop and fried egg. Drizzle the scallion oil over the pork chops. Serve with nuoc cham and pickled carrot and daikon on the side.

13. 13

    --- Pickled vegetables ---

14. 14

    To make the pickle liquid, combine water, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.

15. 15

    Transfer the carrot and daikon to a large plastic container or non-reactive bowl.

16. 16

    Pour the pickle liquid over the vegetables and set aside in the fridge for 1 day.

17. 17

    Pickled carrot and daikon will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.