Featuring grilled shrimp marinated in a bright and spicy sauce, this airy noodle dish is brimming with bold flavors. As a bonus, it’s served with nuoc cham—a sweet, salty and tangy Vietnamese dipping sauce. So don’t forget the chopsticks!

Serves four.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound large-sized Texas wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • spicy shrimp marinade
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 8 ounces dry vermicelli rice noodles
  • 1 cup nuoc cham sauce
  • 8 green leaf lettuce leaves, washed and torn
  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced
  • 3/4 cup carrot, shaved
  • 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves, torn
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, torn
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced thinly (optional)

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons sambal
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and minced

Nuoc Cham Sauce

  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 serrano chile, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 6 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice

Preparation

  • Place the shrimp in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the spicy shrimp marinade. Let them sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.
  • Preheat a char broil grill to medium high and brush the grates with a little oil to keep the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for three minutes on each side or until they turn pink and curl and the center is no longer translucent. Remove the shrimp from the grill and keep warm.
  • Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. After they are cooked, drain the water completely and rinse to cool. Divide the noodles between four serving bowls and drizzle each with a quarter cup of nouc cham sauce.
  • Divide the remaining ingredients between each of the four bowls by placing the garnishes on top of the noodles. Finish the bowls by topping with the reserved warm grilled shrimp divided evenly between the bowls.

Spicy Shrimp Marinade

  • Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Nuoc Cham Sauce

  • Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.