Crispy Bun

Like many of Southeast Asia's best nibbles, Vietnamese bun began as street food. This bun has nothing to do with a soft, warm roll, but rather with a nest of rice noodles (called bun), all kinds of crisp ingredients like sprouts and cucumbers, a bit of meat or fish, and finally a sweet-salty vinegar sauce. In The Foods of Vietnam, author Nicole Routhier says that during her childhood in Laos, bun contained dried shredded pork skin, pork loin, and pounded red chili peppers, but some restaurants here also offer it with grilled shrimp, chicken, or beef. You can easily make a mild version. Build bun using leftovers as the garnish, or offer an unadorned version as part of a hearty menu. What makes the light dish filling is the rice noodles (also called thin rice vermicelli), which are thin sticks formed from rice flour and water. Cook them for a minute in a pan of boiling water, or, as we prefer, cover them with very hot water and let them sit for half an hour. That way, they should keep some of their bite. The rice sticks, sauteed shrimp, and lots of shredded vegetables can also be rolled up inside lettuce leaves, then dipped into a peanut-butter mixture seasoned with soy sauce. No passport required.

BUN
SERVES 4

SAUCE
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (nam pla)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

In a bowl, stir together the garlic, sugar, salt, and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves.

Add the rice vinegar and red pepper; set aside.

SALAD
1/2 pound thin rice stick noodles
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, halved and very thinly sliced
3 cups bean sprouts
2 carrots, grated
4 scallions, cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices
2 pickling or Armenian cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

In a bowl, combine the noodles and enough hot water to cover them; set aside for 30 minutes. Drain the noodles into a colander.

Divide the noodles among 4 deep plates, coiling them with your hand.

Divide the lettuce and sprouts among the plates. Top with carrots, scallions, cucumbers, mint, and cilantro.

Spoon sauce over each salad and garnish with peanuts. Serve the remaining dressing separately.

LETTUCE WRAPS
SERVES 4

1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 pound thin rice stick noodles
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 carrots, grated
1/4 head purple cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
2 pickling cucumbers, very thinly sliced
2 scallions, finely chopped Juice of 1 lime Salt, to taste
2 heads Boston lettuce

In a large bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, and garlic. Add the shrimp and toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or as long as overnight.

In a bowl, combine the noodles and enough hot water to cover them; set aside for 30 minutes. Drain the noodles into a colander.

Heat a large skillet. Add the peanut oil and when it is hot, remove the shrimp from the marinade and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and sprinkle with cilantro.

In a bowl, mix together the carrots, cabbage, and cucumbers. Sprinkle with scallions, lime juice, and salt.

Core the lettuce and separate the leaves. Select the largest leaves and place 3 of them on each of 4 dinner plates.

Place noodles on the center each leaf. Top with the vegetables. Divide the shrimp mixture among the leaves. Let guests roll up their own. Serve with peanut sauce.

PEANUT SAUCE
SERVES 4

The peanut, a legume, is associated with Southeast Asian cuisine, but, in fact, it is native to Brazil and was not introduced into Asia until European explorers took it to India, China, and Indonesia. Today, those three countries join the United States as the top growers of peanuts in the world. A true Southeast Asian peanut sauce is made with fresh peanuts that are finely chopped or ground. In this adaptation, we use peanut butter, a product that is all-American.

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons boiling water, or more if necessary
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste Salt, to taste

In a bowl mix together the peanut butter and boiling water until smooth. Stir in the garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper, and salt.

If the sauce seems too thick, add more boiling water, a teaspoon at a time.

Taste for seasoning and add more red pepper or salt. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.