These Lemongrass Shrimp Vermicelli Bowls (bún tôm nướng) feature plump marinated shrimp nestled into a bed of noodles dressed with a variety of fresh veggies and herbs. Refreshing, filling, and perfectly fuss-free, this is a dish designed for summer.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Cover the sauce and chill until ready to use. It's best if you let the sauce sit for a minimum of 1 hour before serving to give the flavors a chance to meld.
For the Shrimp
Peel the shrimp and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Transfer the shells to a freezer bag and place them in the freezer for future seafood stock.
Smack the lemongrass with a kitchen mallet until pliable. Remove the tough outer leaves and finely chop the inner core. Add it to the bowl with the shrimp.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover and transfer the bowl to the fridge. Marinate for 1 hour.
When you're ready to cook the shrimp, heat a cast iron griddle over high heat until smoking and cook the shrimp until pink and tender - this should only take a few minutes. If you don't have a cast iron griddle, bbq the shrimp over direct heat on a gas or charcoal grill. If neither is available to you, you can use a large skillet. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and keep warm until ready to serve.
For the Bowls
While you're heating the grill for the shrimp, place a kettle of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the vermicelli in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over top. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water.
Divide the noodles across four bowls. Add the shrimp, greens, cucumber, carrots, avocado, radishes, peanuts, and mint to the bowls. Garnish each bowl with a lime wedge and serve with a side of the Nước mắm pha. Serve immediately.
Notes
**I prefer to buy my shrimp shell-on, so I can freeze the shells and use them for stock at a later date.