You can’t make a legitimate vermicelli bowl without Nuoc Mam Cham, also known as Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce. This is a simple “shake and make” recipe, which will keep about a week in the refrigerator. As the name suggests, it’s also a great dipping sauce for Vietnamese egg rolls. Look for Three Crabs Fish Sauce, which is available in most grocery stores — it’s a favorite among Vietnamese cooks.
Even before the work safe/stay at home order was issued, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Thien An, closed. I held out hope that it would reopen, and happily, it did the first week in June. But I sure missed the restaurant’s vermicelli bowls (and banh mi, and egg rolls, and pho) in the interim. To satisfy my cravings, I tried my hand at making vermicelli bowls, and was happy to learn that it’s not difficult at all. With temperatures rising, this is a cool, quick, and satisfying main course meal — think of it as a noodle salad — that we’ll be making frequently this summer.
A little advance planning makes this dish easy to pull together. To simplify things, I’m posting the recipe for the pickled vegetables today, the recipe for the “sauce” tomorrow, and directions for assembling the bowls the third day along with a great recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Pork.
Let’s get started! Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish add crunch and brightness against the blandness of the noodles. They’re easy to make, and don’t require cooking. If you don’t have a julienne peeler, I recommend getting one.
Although the pickled carrots and daikon can be used an hour after you make them, they’re even better if you can make them a day in advance. They’ll keep in the refrigerator about a week.
Place carrot and daikon in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and 2 teaspoons sugar. Massage the vegetables between your fingers for a few minutes until they have reduced in volume by about ¼th (this will release some of the water in them). Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold water, and press down on vegetables to release extra water. Pack the vegetables into a large glass jar. Tuck chiles into jar, if using,
In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sugar, vinegar, and water, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over vegetables. Store in refrigerator (refrigerate at least one hour before using).
