Vietnamese food deserves a far grander stage than it is typically given.
For reasons that have always escaped me, this extraordinary cuisine is too often relegated to casual, no-frills dining rooms — affordable, beloved, and quietly exceptional, but rarely celebrated with the reverence it deserves. And yet, Vietnamese cooking is among the most sophisticated and nuanced in the world. It is a cuisine built on balance — the interplay of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy — achieved not through complexity for its own sake, but through an almost instinctive understanding of how flavours speak to one another.
What makes it truly remarkable is its lightness. Fresh herbs arrive at the table in generous abundance. Crisp salad leaves, cool rice noodles, fragrant mint and coriander — all of it designed to keep each bite clean, vibrant, and alive on the palate. It is food that nourishes without heaviness, that satisfies without excess.
I have long hoped to see Vietnamese cuisine take its rightful place in fine dining. A Michelin-starred Vietnamese restaurant — not a novelty, but a genuine recognition of the craft — feels long overdue. If you know of one, please do let me know. In the meantime, I’ll keep making the case from my own kitchen.
And this recipe makes the case beautifully.
A Recipe That Ticks Every Box
Marinated pork, lacquered in a glaze that weaves together the sweetness of honey, the depth of soy, the complexity of fish sauce, and the rounded richness of oyster sauce. Every pillar of Vietnamese flavour, present and in perfect proportion.
Serve it over steamed jasmine rice, or alongside a cool noodle salad scattered with fresh mint, and you have a dish that is at once weeknight simple and dinner-party worthy — the kind of meal that pleases everyone at the table and leaves them asking for the recipe.
Difficulty level : Easy –
Preparation time : 30 minutes –
Portions : 4 Servings
INGREDIENTS
4 pork chops, flattened by your butcher
3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, finely minced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
PREPARATION
Make the marinade:
In a wide, shallow bowl, combine 2 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, finely minced and 3 garlic cloves, finely minced with 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoons fish sauce, and 1 tablespoons vegetable oil.
Mix well — the oil binds the marinade together and will prevent the chops from sticking during cooking.
Marinate the pork:
Add 4 pork chops, flattened by your butcher to the bowl and turn to coat thoroughly on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes
For best results, marinate overnight — the longer the pork sits in the glaze, the deeper and more complex the flavour.
Grill the chops: Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Cook the pork chops for 2 to 5 minutes per side, until caramelized and slightly charred at the edges. Because the chops are flattened, they cook through quickly — watch them carefully and do not overcook. Rest for 2 minutes before serving.
NOTES
On the lemongrass: Use only the pale, tender inner stalk — the tough outer leaves are too fibrous. Mince as finely as possible so the flavour infuses evenly into the marinade without leaving fibrous pieces on the meat.
Marinate overnight: This is the one step worth planning ahead for. A longer marinade transforms the chops from good to exceptional — the honey caramelizes more deeply on the grill and the fish sauce loses any sharpness, mellowing into pure umami.
To serve: Steamed jasmine rice is the classic accompaniment. For something lighter, a cool vermicelli noodle salad with shredded cucumber, fresh mint, a handful of bean sprouts, and a drizzle of nuoc cham dipping sauce is exceptional alongside.
No grill? A cast iron skillet over high heat works beautifully. Get it very hot before the chops go in — you want an immediate sear to caramelize the honey glaze rather than letting it steam.
Here’s what I refined this time.
risespice.com 
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