- 3 partsLemongrass + garlic + shallot
- 2 partsFish sauce
- 1 partBrown sugar
- 1 partOyster sauce + oil
- 3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, very finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, optional
- Pound or blend the lemongrass, garlic and shallot to a rough paste.
- Stir in the fish sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, oil, pepper and chilli until the sugar dissolves.
- Coat 600g sliced pork shoulder, chicken thighs or beef with the marinade.
- Marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for chicken and pork.
- Grill or pan-fry over high heat until charred at the edges.
This is the marinade behind Vietnamese grilled meats: finely chopped lemongrass, garlic and shallot pounded with fish sauce, sugar and a little oil. It's what gives com ga nuong sa and bun cha their smoky, fragrant, sweet-salty edges. The sugar caramelises on the grill and the lemongrass perfumes everything.
Use only the tender white part of the lemongrass and chop it as finely as you can, or blitz it in a small blender. Serve the grilled meat with nuoc cham for dipping; the marinade is the flavour inside, the nuoc cham is the bright sauce on top.
Pork shoulder, chicken thighs, beef, prawns and firm tofu, cooked on a grill or in a hot pan.
Use it for lemongrass chicken with rice, bun thit nuong or banh mi. Read about fish sauce and oyster sauce.
Uses this sauce
Recipes that call for this sauce. Make a batch and cook one of these.
Pairs well with
Dishes this sauce suits. These recipes make their own glaze or dressing, so you can swap this sauce in.