Ingredients

Main Components:

• 800 g pork loin, cut into 6 thick pieces with the fat left on
• 1 packet white rice ribbon noodles (or similar flat rice noodles)
• Neutral oil, for searing pork and frying prawn chips
• Small handful bean sprouts per bowl
• Small handful fresh cilantro leaves per bowl
• Small handful sweet basil leaves per bowl
• Small handful uncooked prawn (shrimp) chips per bowl
• 1 lime, quartered

Marinade:

• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
• 2 red chillies, finely chopped (seeded for less heat)
• 2 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 5 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. Using a pestle and mortar, or bowl and end of a rolling pin, crush the lemongrass, chilli, garlic and turmeric for a few minutes. Once the ingredients have broken down add the five spice powder, soy sauce and honey.
2. Place the pieces of pork loin (with fat on) in a bowl and cover with the marinade using your hands. Place cling film over the bowl and place in the fridge for at least an hour – you could leave over night if you have time.
3. Using a fairly deep pan, heat up a little oil and bronze both sides of the pork loin. Then pour in the marinade and add enough water to the pan so that the pork loins are just covered. Simmer for 45 minutes at which point the sauce will have reduced by almost a half and the pork loin will be tender.
4. When the pork is cooking, in a separate pan add some oil and when it is hot place a small handful of uncooked shrimp chips into the oil and cook for 10-15 seconds, by which time the chips will have puffed up and lightened in colour. They burn really quickly so don’t take your eyes off them during this part. Place to one side on some kitchen roll. Repeat until you have enough to put a few on each serving.
5. Heat up some boiling water and add the rice noodles for the time specified on the packet – which is usually around 5-7 minutes. Strain and run under a cold tap briefly and separate into each bowl.
6. Using a spatula take the pork loin out of the sauce, remove the fat and slice thinly. Place the pork slices onto the noodles and add a ladle of the sauce on top of the pork and noodles. Add a small handful of bean sprouts, cilantro, sweet basil and shrimp chips to the bowl along with a wedge of fresh lime.