“Fish Sauce: Enhancing the Vietnamese Culinary Experience”

Fish sauce is integral to Vietnamese cuisine, adding depth and richness to the flavor of dishes. Whether used as a dipping sauce, seasoning, or marinade, fish sauce elevates the culinary experience. However, culinary experts advise against using fish sauce to marinate raw meat as it may dry out and toughen the meat during cooking.

Applying fish sauce to meat marinades can cause proteins to contract, resulting in tougher texture. Instead, chefs recommend using alternatives like salt, sugar, seasoning powder, or MSG for a more tender and flavorful result. Additionally, adding fish sauce to dishes is best done in the final stages of cooking to preserve its unique flavor without compromising meat quality.

An effective alternative to tenderize meat is to use lemon juice in the marination process. The acid in lemon juice breaks down proteins, making the meat more supple. Simply soak the meat in lemon juice for about 30 minutes before cooking, and you’ll achieve a more tender and appealing dish.

Lemon Juice Marinade: A Secret to Tender Meat

Here’s a mouthwatering grilled meat dish using a lemon juice marinade that you can prepare for your family.

Ingredients

Gather the following ingredients to create a delicious grilled meat feast:

– 500g pork neck or belly, cleaned and thoroughly dried

– 1 fresh lemongrass stalk, finely chopped

– 4 cloves of garlic, minced

– 4 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

– 3 shallots, finely chopped

– A handful of coriander, chopped

– 30ml of good quality soy sauce

– 30ml aromatic rice wine

– 30g soft light brown sugar

– 5ml fresh lemon juice

– A drizzle of pure honey

For the dipping sauce:

– 30ml tasty fish sauce

– 30ml fresh lemon juice

– 1 horn pepper, thinly sliced

– 5g white sugar

– A splash of clean water

Choose Pork Neck or Belly for Grilling

Method

Marination

In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, lemon juice, chopped lemongrass, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, and coriander to create a flavorful marinade.

Use your hands or a brush to evenly coat the meat with the marinade.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the marinated meat for a minimum of one hour.

Grilling

Preheat your oven to 200°C.

Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place the marinated meat on it.

Grill the meat in the preheated oven at 200°C for about 8 minutes on each side.

During the final 2-3 minutes of grilling, brush a thin layer of honey over the meat for added gloss and aroma.

Adjust the grilling time according to the size and thickness of the meat and the type of oven used.

Dipping Sauce

In a small bowl, mix fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, chopped chili, and a splash of water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and chili to your taste.

The Grilled Meat will have a Golden Brown Color and an Aromatic Fragrance

Final Product

Once the meat is grilled to perfection, remove it from the oven and slice it into thin, tasty portions.

The grilled meat will have a golden brown color and an aromatic fragrance from the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Serve the grilled meat with the prepared dipping sauce, and feel free to accompany it with fresh herbs, bread, or steamed rice.

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