Ba' and Me in Honesdale is a delightful little cafe serving authentic Vietnamese food. In Vietnamese, Ba' means grandmother and Me means mother. The owner Nhi Mundy, took her mother's and grandmother's recipes from Vietnam and used them for her menu items. Jackie stopped by and learned how they prepare their signature Lemon Pork Sandwich.
Nhi Mundy dusted off her family’s best old recipes when she moved to upstate New York and opened Bà & Me. The lemongrass pork that tops her noodle bowl is a secret family recipe, but we think this flavorful variation is just as delicious.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 medium shallots, minced
- 1 lemongrass stalk, inner white bulb only, minced
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 1/2 cups julienned carrot
- 1 cup julienned daikon
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
- 1 small jalapeño, minced
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli
- Mint, cilantro, romaine lettuce and sliced cucumber, for serving
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Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk the oyster sauce with the vegetable oil, shallots, lemongrass, brown sugar, honey, 2 tablespoons of chili sauce, the sesame oil, white pepper, baking soda, 5 of the garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the pork and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Step 2Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the carrot and daikon with the vinegar, 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well and refrigerate until chilled.
Step 3In a bowl, stir 1/4 cup of water with the lime juice, fish sauce and jalapeño. Add the remaining garlic clove and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 4In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the vermicelli until al dente. Drain and rinse with cool water. Pat dry and transfer to bowls.
Step 5Light a grill. Remove the pork from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Grill over high heat, turning, until lightly charred and just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top the noodles with the pork and some of the pickled vegetables. Serve with mint, cilantro, romaine, cucumber and the chile-lime sauce.