VIETNAMESE NOODLE (BUN) SALAD

(RECIPE SHARED BY SHEILA BELL MCKAY)
Bun (often translated as "rice stick" on labels) are simply vermicelli made with rice flour, often sold in organized nests wrapped in plastic. Cooking these is utterly simple -- a quick soak off the stove in boiling water is all you need.

1 package bun (aka rice sticks or rice vermicelli)
1 red pepper, julienned
2 cucumbers, seeded and cut into matchsticks
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 package fresh bean sprouts
scallions, diced
basil, fresh
mint, fresh
several limes, cut into wedges
handful of shredded lettuce
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
marinade (recipe below)
nuoc cham (recipe below)

1. A few hours before you plan to serve, combine chicken and marinade in a plastic bag, toss to combine, and refrigerate. Cut vegetables and set aside. Prepare nuoc cham. Start soaking wooden skewers in water.
2. About an hour and a half before you plan to serve, add shrimp to bag with chicken.
3. Thirty minutes before you plan to serve, light grill and prepare for medium heat. Remove chicken and shrimp from marinade. Skewer shrimp. Grill chicken for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through and nicely caramelized. Remove chicken and grill shrimp for a scant couple of minutes per side, until just firm.
4. While grilling, boil water and pour over noodles to cover in a large bowl. Cover bowl and let steep for five minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Drain water and place noodles in serving dish. Bunch the garnishes around the noodles.
5. Roughly chop chicken and place atop noodles in serving dish. Arrange shrimp skewers around noodles. Serve with nuoc cham on the side.

NUOC CHAM
juice of two limes
2 tbsp. brown sugar
4 tbsp. fish sauce
8 cloves garlic, minced
chile-garlic paste to taste (or use finely sliced hot chiles of your choice)
Whisk together all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

MARINADE
You can use just about any combination of salty, sweet and acidic ingredients for this, but I used a combination of soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar and rice wine vinegar. Be careful, though, since soy sauce and fish sauce are both potently salty. Since the meat will only be in the marinade for a relatively brief time, it shouldn't matter too much, however.