Vietnamese-Style Spicy Pig Ear Salad

Name: Vietnamese-Style Spicy Pig Ear Salad
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 237 milliliters fresh cilantro leaves and some stems; 3 cinnamon sticks; 454 grams pigs ears (about 4); 1 Tbsp fish sauce; 237 milliliters fresh mint leaves; 3 garlic cloves; 1 knob 4-inch knob of ginger, sliced; 1 Tbsp granulated sugar; 473 milliliters Vietnamese greens (see note) or watercress; 2 limes, juiced; 1 2-inch segment of lemongrass (use white part of stalk), chopped; 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 1 segments and smashed slightly; 1 small onion, cut into wedges; 59 milliliters roasted peanuts, chopped; 118 milliliters soy sauce; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 bundles mung bean (glass) noodles (or 4 ounces thin rice noodles); 3 star anise pods; 237 milliliters fresh Thai basil leaves; 2 Thai red chili peppers (to taste); 59 milliliters white vinegar

Vietnamese-Style Spicy Pig Ear Salad might be just the side dish you are searching for. This gluten free, dairy free, and pescatarian recipe serves 6. One portion of this dish contains about 8g of protein, 4g of fat, and a total of 156 calories. If you have cilantro leaves and some stems, soy sauce, pigs' ears, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. 1 person found this recipe to be yummy and satisfying. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 45 minutes.

Instructions

Remove hair from ears either by shaving them with a razor (nothing makes you feel closer to your food than shaving it!) or by singeing it off over a gas range flame (hold the ears with tongs).

Equipment you will use

Tongs

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

Add all of the braising ingredients. Slice ears thinly (this may be easier after the ears have been in the boiling broth for about 15 minutes). Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1-2 hours, until tender.

Ingredients you will need

Broth

Shortly before the ears are done, prepare the noodles by boiling them for 2 minutes, or until just soft.

Ingredients you will need

Pasta

Drain and set aside.

Next, prepare the dressing. In a mortar, grind up chili peppers, lemongrass and garlic to a rough paste. In a bowl, whisk together lime juice, sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce until sugar is dissolved, then add chili paste.

Ingredients you will need

Arbol Chile

Chili Paste

Fish Sauce

Lemon Grass

Lime Juice

Soy Sauce

Garlic

Sugar

Equipment you will use

Mortar And Pestle

Whisk

Bowl

When the ears are tender remove them from the broth (drain and reserve liquid for another use). Toss together with prepared carrots and greens, noodles and dressing. Top with peanuts and serve immediately.

Ingredients you will need

Carrot

Pasta

Peanuts

Greens

Broth

Note: If you have access to a good Asian grocery with Vietnamese greens, get a variety of interesting looking ones and mix them together for a nice variety of colors, flavors and textures.

Ingredients you will need

Greens