Vietnamese · main

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops reads umami 8.2, salinity 6.4 and funk & ferment 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 1 hr 2 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.2 · Salinity 6.4 · Funk & Ferment 6.0 · Citrus 5.5 · Sourness 4.8 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Allium 3.7 · Richness 3.6 · Sweetness 3.2 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Floral 1.3 · Bitterness 1.0 · Heat 0.9 · Earthy 0.8 · Nutty 0.7

What's in it (15)

• pork chops — 680 g
• lemongrass — 11 g
• garlic — 12 g
• fish sauce — 44 g
• brown sugar — 25 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• soybean soy sauce — 15 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• shallot — 40 g
• salt — 5 g
• steamed jasmine rice — 177 g
• english cucumber — 200 g
• green onions — 220 g
• lime — 65 g
• water — 414 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 2 min (27 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 88.7 kcal, 8.9 g protein, 3.5 g fat, 6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Whisk together the lemongrass paste, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the oil, soy sauce, black pepper, shallot, and salt in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Pound the pork chops to an even 1/2-inch thickness, place in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
3. While the pork marinates, rinse the rice, combine it with 1 3/4 cups water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15-18 minutes; let stand covered, off heat, 5 minutes.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Lift the pork chops from the marinade, letting excess drip off, and discard the marinade. Sear the chops until deeply caramelized and charred at the edges on the first side, 4-5 minutes.
6. Flip and cook the second side until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F at the thickest part, 3-4 minutes.
7. Transfer the chops to a cutting board and rest 5 minutes before slicing.
8. Plate the rice with the sliced cucumber, top with the pork chops, and finish with green onion and lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork — Vietnamese
• Thai Fried Rice with Chicken (Khao Pad Gai) — Thai
• Crispy Chile-Garlic Chicken Wings — Thai
• Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.