How to make Vietnamese rice noodles with lemongrass chicken, a true taste of the country
- This recipe for bun ga nuong goes heavy on the herbs, just like they do in Vietnam
- Boneless thighs work best for this dish – if using breast, take care not to overcook
I thought I was familiar with Vietnamese food before taking my first trip to the country many years ago. I had enjoyed numerous meals with my Vietnamese friends, both at Vietnamese restaurants in California and at their homes, and they also taught me to make dishes such as fresh and fried spring rolls, head cheese, jellyfish salad, and sour and spicy soup.
But, of course, the food in Vietnam is very different from what I had been eating at restaurants overseas. For one thing, the portion size tends to be much smaller: one bowl of pho in San Francisco, Los Angeles or Paris is equal to at least two bowls in Vietnam. Also, the dishes in Vietnam are served with a generous and varied selection of fresh herbs and other greenery. Elsewhere, restaurants skimp on the herbs, giving a paltry portion of mint and basil.
Vietnam is one of my favourite places to visit – and not just for the fantastic food – although I’ll never get used to the terrifying walks across busy intersections.
Vietnamese rice noodles with lemongrass chicken (bun ga nuong)
I use chicken thighs for this dish, and remove the bones myself – shops usually sell boneless whole legs, with the thigh and drumstick together. The drumstick has a lot of tendons that need to be removed. Cutting out the bone from the thigh takes about 30 seconds, but if you can find just boneless thighs (without the drumsticks) then use those, if you prefer. If you substitute boneless chicken breasts, take care to not overcook them – they will need about 10 minutes under the grill.
For the lemongrass chicken:
4 bone-in chicken thighs, about 200 grams each (or 180 grams each if they are boneless)
90ml fish sauce