World Flavors: Vietnam

Southeast Asian cuisines are, for the most part, very healthy, containing fresh ingredients from vegetables to fish. While carbohydrates, in the form of noodles or rice, accompany most dishes, both are low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, making them good choices. Unfortunately, many home cooks are unaccustomed to preparing the dishes of Thailand, Vietnam or Indonesia, and are a bit wary of doing so. But there are many easy recipes that can be quickly made, easily adapted, and don't require complicated ingredients.

Today's country of choice is Vietnam, where fresh vegetables, grilled meat and seafood, and lots of fresh herbs are mainstays, making it one of the "lighter" cuisines of the region. There is relatively little fat used to cook any dish, and the flavor is bright and palate-awakening (not necessarily in a spicy way). Fish sauce, lime juice, mint, lemongrass—are common tastebud pleasers and have become readily available in grocery stores across the country.

Two of the easier dishes to fix are pho (a basic Vietnamese noodle soup) and bun (herb noodle salad), both of which can be made with a huge variety of ingredients, depending upon what is in season or available. The recipes are not intimidating and are perfect family fun, served communally, where each individual can add what they want to their own dish. It reminds me of family taco or fajita dinners, where you can set out all the goodies and people build their own.

Preparation is the key to most Asian cuisines, and Vietnamese dishes are no exception. While cooking is quick on the grill, in a wok or in boiling water, most of the time spent on preparing a meal is beforehand, in the chopping and dicing. (Many supermarkets even have vegetables already cut up for you, making your job even easier.) Today's feature recipe is a basic herb noodle salad, also known as bun cha. It can be adapted in a variety of ways, all of which are healthy and make those tastebuds sit up and take notice. The preparation from start to finish takes about 30 minutes and makes a great dish for a party. (I filled up bowls with a variety of toppings, set them on a lazy susan and we spun our way to deliciousness, building a pile full of fresh layers and grilled items.)

The basis for a dish like bun cha is a noodle such as mai fun or a rice stick, but you could substitute an angel hair pasta or, for a really healthy option, use chopped romaine or red or green curly leaf lettuce as the first layer. Then next layer is fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and basil), followed by cucumber and bean sprouts. This is topped off by grilled beef slices (grilled chicken, pork or shrimp would also work). Top the salad with a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, some fried sliced garlic and you have a mound to tuck into. Easy, fun, and tastefully healthy.

There is nothing intimidating about the recipe or the preparation. Think of it as a basic salad with grilled meat, and perfect for summertime. If you are having guests, everything can be prepped in advance, covered in plastic wrap and will be ready to serve at dinner. You can even grill the meat earlier in the day and serve it cold or at room temperate. I encourage you to try it, and I know you will be pleasantly surprised.

Herb Noodle Salad (serves 4)
½ pound mai fun or rice sticks cooked according to directions ( or substitute with angel hair pasta or chopped romaine or red/green curly leaf lettuce)
1 cup each fresh mint, cilantro, and basil
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into 2 inch matchsticks
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 lime, cut in 4 wedges
Grilled Beef (recipe below)
Dipping Sauce (recipe below)
Optional: 1/3 cup chopped peanuts, fried sliced garlic, thinly sliced green onion

1. Marinate meat according to recipe below. It's best to let this sit for a few hours in the fridge to really flavor the meat.
2. Cook noodles according to direction or chop lettuce, and place in large bowl.
3. Grill meat as directed.
3. Make the dipping sauce.
4. Prep bowls of herbs, cucumber, sprouts and lime (as well as optional ingredients).
5. Slice beef thinly and serve in bowl.
6. Head to the table and enjoy.

Grilled Beef with Lemongrass
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 ½ tablespoons minced garlic (3-4 large cloves)
1-2 stalks of lemongrass (outer layer peeled off and inner core minced)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (also called nam pla)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. skirt steak

Mix first 6 ingredients in bowl or Ziploc bag. Add meat, and refrigerate for as long as possible (up to 24 hours). Grill for about 3-5 minutes per side until done, but still slightly pink in the middle. Let cool for 10 minutes, slice thinly and serve.