Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh hỏi thịt nướng

Serve delicate bánh hỏi rice vermicelli sheets brushed with fragrant garlic-chive oil, grilled lemongrass pork, crisp cucumber and fresh herbs. A bright lime, garlic and chili fish-sauce dip brings the plate together.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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A bánh hỏi and grilled-pork plate sits on the right side of a wooden table, with sauce and herbs beside it and open tabletop to the left.
A wide tabletop view of woven rice noodles with grilled pork.
Yield 4 plates
Cook 25 minutes
Passive 30 minutes
Total 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes)
Calories per serving about 650 kcal
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bánh hỏi thịt nướng

Bánh hỏi is made from very fine rice vermicelli pressed into delicate woven sheets or mats. In Bình Định, it is dressed with warm oil and garlic chives, then paired with a range of foods. Regional accounts describe pork organs, boiled or roast pork, sausage and grilled meat; this version chooses grilled lemongrass pork. The thin noodle sheets stay soft and supple under the fragrant chive oil, while the pork adds a savory char and the herbs and lime keep each bite fresh.

Dried bánh hỏi makes the plate manageable at home, though brands differ in how long they need to soften. Follow the package and handle the woven sheets gently. Grill the marinated pork just before serving, then arrange it with warm noodles, cucumber, lettuce and herbs. Serve the fish-sauce dip on the side so diners can season each bite or wrap noodle and pork in lettuce.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successBuy packaged bánh hỏi rather than substituting ordinary loose rice vermicelli; the thin woven sheets are the defining texture. Check the package for wheat or other allergen statements. Follow the noodle package's soak or blanch directions. The sheets can tear if stirred vigorously or rinsed under a hard stream. Slice the pork evenly, about 8 mm thick, so it grills quickly and reaches a safe temperature before the marinade sugars burn. Keep the pork covered in the refrigerator while it marinates. Never save raw marinade for the table; make the dipping sauce in a separate clean bowl. Garlic chives give the central-region style used here. Heat the oil until hot but not smoking, then pour it over the chives so they soften and stay green. Use a food thermometer in the thickest pork slice: 63°C / 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Bánh hỏi and garlic-chive oil

  • 250 g dried bánh hỏi rice vermicelli sheets; check the package for wheat and other allergens
  • 3 litres drinking water for soaking or blanching as directed on the package; discard after use
  • 30 g garlic chives, finely sliced; use scallions if garlic chives are unavailable
  • 30 ml neutral oil for the garlic-chive oil
  • 1 g fine salt for the garlic-chive oil

Grilled pork

  • 500 g boneless pork shoulder, excess surface fat trimmed and sliced evenly about 8 mm thick
  • 20 g tender inner lemongrass stalk, finely minced
  • 20 g shallot, finely minced
  • 10 g garlic, finely minced
  • 20 ml fish sauce for the marinade
  • 15 g brown sugar for the marinade
  • 15 ml neutral oil for the marinade
  • 1 g ground black pepper for the marinade

Dipping sauce and fresh accompaniments

  • 25 ml fish sauce for the dipping sauce
  • 45 ml drinking water for the dipping sauce
  • 30 ml fresh lime juice for the dipping sauce
  • 15 g sugar for the dipping sauce
  • 5 g garlic, finely minced for the dipping sauce
  • 5 g fresh red chili, finely sliced for the dipping sauce
  • 250 g cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 120 g lettuce leaves, washed and dried for serving or wrapping
  • 20 g fresh mint leaves, washed and dried
  • 20 g fresh cilantro, washed and dried
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges for serving
Method

Method

Method

  1. Mix 20 g lemongrass, 20 g shallot, 10 g garlic, 20 ml fish sauce, 15 g brown sugar, 15 ml neutral oil and 1 g black pepper. Coat the pork slices, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Do not save the raw marinade for serving.

  2. Prepare the dried bánh hỏi according to its package directions. If the directions call for blanching, briefly loosen the sheets in boiling water, then drain and rinse just enough to stop cooking; avoid stirring or pulling the delicate woven mats apart. Keep warm and covered.

  3. For the chive oil, heat 30 ml neutral oil until hot but not smoking. Pour it over 30 g sliced garlic chives and 1 g salt in a heatproof bowl. Stir and set aside; the chives should soften and stay green rather than brown.

  4. Stir together 25 ml fish sauce, 45 ml water, 30 ml lime juice, 15 g sugar, 5 g minced garlic and 5 g sliced chili until the sugar dissolves. Set out with clean serving spoons; do not let it contact raw pork or marinade.

  5. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill the marinated pork in a single layer, turning once, until browned and cooked through. Check the thickest slices with a food thermometer: 63°C / 145°F, then rest the pork for 3 minutes before serving. Cook in batches if needed.

  6. Gently brush or spoon the warm chive oil over the bánh hỏi sheets. Arrange them on four plates with the grilled pork, cucumber, lettuce, mint, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve the dipping sauce separately; diners may combine a bite on the plate or wrap noodle and pork in lettuce.

  7. Serve promptly. Refrigerate leftover pork, noodles and sauce within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), in separate shallow containers at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 days or freeze; reheat pork to 74°C / 165°F and keep ready-to-eat herbs separate.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Dried bánh hỏi brands vary in soaking and blanching time. Follow the label so the fine woven sheets soften without breaking. If the product is unavailable, use a similar fine rice-vermicelli sheet product rather than ordinary loose vermicelli, and treat it as a practical substitute. Garlic chives are used here for a central-region profile; thinly sliced scallions work if needed. Grill the pork shortly before serving and brush the noodles with chive oil while they are warm.

Troubleshooting

The bánh hỏi sheets tear: Follow the package timing, loosen them gently and avoid vigorous stirring or rinsing under a hard stream. The noodles clump or dry out: Keep the prepared sheets covered and warm; spoon the hot garlic-chive oil over them while warm and separate only gently. The pork chars before cooking through: Move slices to a cooler grill area or reduce the heat. Use even 8 mm slices and verify 63°C / 145°F in the thickest piece. The pork tastes too salty: Measure both fish-sauce portions, choose a lower-sodium sauce if desired and serve the dip on the side instead of pouring it over the plate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use regular rice vermicelli instead? It works as a practical noodle substitute, but it will not have bánh hỏi's delicate woven-sheet texture. Cook it according to its package and dress it with chive oil while warm. Can I use scallions instead of garlic chives? Yes. Garlic chives are the central-region choice used here, while scallions are a workable substitute if they are easier to find. Can I cook the pork in a skillet? Yes. Use a hot grill pan or heavy skillet, work in batches and check the thickest slice for 63°C / 145°F. Rest the pork for 3 minutes. Can I prepare parts ahead? Wash and dry the greens and mix the dipping sauce ahead, keeping them refrigerated. Grill the pork shortly before serving and dress the warm noodles with chive oil at the last minute.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

  • Serving sizeone of four plates with 250 g dry bánh hỏi, 125 g raw-pork basis, chive oil, cucumber, lettuce, herbs and dipping sauce
  • Calories650 kcal
  • Carbohydrate62 g
  • Protein27 g
  • Fat34 g
  • Fibre3 g
  • Sodium1,000 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Fish is a major allergen in fish sauce. This version intentionally contains no soy, wheat, egg, dairy or peanuts, but packaged bánh hỏi and fish sauce may list additional ingredients or cross-contact warnings; check every label. Keep raw pork and its utensils separate from washed lettuce, herbs, cooked noodles and ready-to-eat sauce. Keep raw pork at or below 4°C / 40°F. Marinate it covered in the refrigerator, never at room temperature. Do not reuse raw marinade as a dipping sauce. Cook whole-muscle pork slices to 63°C / 145°F and rest for 3 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), cool in shallow containers at or below 4°C / 40°F, use within 3 days or freeze, and reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve the noodle sheets warm with grilled pork, crisp cucumber and fresh herbs.
  • Put lime wedges and the dipping sauce on the table so everyone can season each bite.
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