Grilled Pork Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 4 cloves garlic
• minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• plus more for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds thin boneless pork chops
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon grated carrot
• 1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce
• such as sambal oelek
• 1 clove garlic
• minced
• 1 head Boston lettuce
• leaves separated
• 1/2 bunch mint
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 English cucumber
• thinly sliced
• 1 red jalapeno pepper
• seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 cup prepared fried shallots
• scallions or onions
• 1 bag Asian shrimp chips

Instructions

1. Prepare the pork: Mash the garlic into a paste with the flat side of a knife.
2. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemongrass, shallots, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. Add the pork and toss to coat.
4. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
5. Make the sauce: Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl.
6. Stir in the carrot, chile sauce and garlic.
7. Preheat a grill to high.
8. Brush the grill with vegetable oil.
9. Remove the pork from the marinade and grill until well marked, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
10. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then cut into strips.
11. Arrange the pork and lettuce on a platter; set out the herbs, cucumber, jalapeno and fried shallots for fixings.
12. Assemble the lettuce wraps and serve with the carrot sauce and shrimp chips.
13. Photograph by Con Poulos