Vietnamese barbequed pork fillet with peanut sauce

This is a very simple but so tasty meal that has great flavour and can be quickly cooked on your BBQ. If you don’t enjoy the taste of peanuts/peanut butter, don’t cook the dish!

 Key points for a successful dish is to carefully cook the pork and baste constantly and not overcook the pork, but allow to rest for the 5 minutes - husbands cannot leave this dish to cook while they have a chat or a beer/ wine or three!

 Served with a simple, refreshing Vietnamese salad and rice, this is perfect to cook any time when you are using your BBQ. The Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dressing for the salad finishes off the dish perfectly!

 Ingredients

1 400 ml can of coconut milk

2/3 cup smooth peanut butter

1/3 cup soy sauce 
4 tbs lime juice, fresh if limes are not too costly
4 tbs dark brown sugar 
2 large cloves garlic, minced (2-1/2 tsp.) 
3 tsp ground coriander 
4 pork fillets  

1 packet of baby spinach leaves or your favourite salad greens

1 long red capsicum

2 packets snow peas

Sliced fresh mango (optional and adds a very fresh touch to the salad)

250 gms long grain or Basmati rice (I cheat and use 2 packets of boil in the bag)

Vegetable oil for the grill 

Cooking instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix /whisk the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and coriander to make a smooth sauce.
2. Trim the pork of excess fat and silver skin – there is very little with pork fillets
3. Put the pork fillets in a dish and add the marinade and turn to coat. Let marinate for 10 to 20 minutes turning a few times (or up to several hours in the refrigerator).
4. Make the Nuoc Cham dressing – refer below
5. Make the simple salad – steam the snow peas for a couple of minutes and then refresh in cold water
6. Boil the rice
7. Turn the barbeque grills onto high and grill the fillets, covered, turning once or twice with basting after each turn, until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes max. total (cut into one to check). Don't throw out any unused marinade as this will be used as a sauce for serving.
8. Transfer to a carving board and cover with tinfoil or cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small saucepan or Pyrex dish and add 2 Tbs. water; bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes (or microwave for approx. 30 seconds). Remove from the heat. If the sauce seems too thick, thin it with 1 or 2 tsp. water.
10. Slice the pork approx. 1 cm thick and cover with the sauce and serve with the salad and rice

Nuoc Cham dressing

1/3 cup of lime juice – try to use fresh if not too pricey

1/4 cup of fish sauce

1 red chilli (optional) – remove seeds and thinly slice

2 tbs soft brown sugar

1/4 cup of water

Combine the ingredients, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and adjust flavours as you like

Serves: 6-8