The Homecoming: Sunday

Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Taiwanese Buttermilk Fried Chicken Nuggets

Serves 2 as a main course

This was a crowd favorite (and mine) at a former Vietnamese restaurant of mine, Juniper Café. It’s a light and flavorful salad loaded with crisp apples, juicy mango, and aromatic herbs, made even better with crunchy fried chicken nuggets, a perfect combination of the cuisines of Southeast Asia the American South. Freshness is the key here: make sure you are using great produce, and dress the salad as you fry those nuggets so everything is at its peak.

•  2 cups (350 g) cooked Vietnamese rice vermicelli, chilled (4 ounce / 115 g dried)

• 1 ½ cups (70 g) shredded romaine lettuce

• 1 small carrot, cut into 2 by ¼-inch (5 cm by 6 mm) matchstick strips (about 1/4 cup/30 g)

• ½ small apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 2 by ¼-inch (5 cm by 6 mm) matchstick strips, about ¼ cup (30 g)

• ½ medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2 by ¼-inch (5 cm by 6 mm) matchstick strips, about ¼ cup (30 g)

• ½ mango, peeled, cored, and cut into 2 by ¼-inch (5 cm by 6 mm) matchstick strips, about ¼ cup (30 g)

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion

• 15 mint leaves, torn

• 15 basil leaves, torn

• 20 cilantro leaves, torn

• 2 tablespoons Nuoc Cham (recipe below)

• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts, toasted

• 2 tablespoons fried shallots

• ½ pound (225 g) Taiwanese Chicken Nuggets (recipe below) hot from the fryer

In a large bowl, gently toss the vermicelli, lettuce, carrot, apple, cucumber, mango, onion, mint, basil, and cilantro. Add nuoc cham and toss to combine. Divide the salad between two bowls and top with the peanuts, fried shallots, and hot chicken nuggets and serve immediately.

Nuoc Cham

Makes 1 cup (240 ml)

Nuoc cham is a sauce frequently used in Vietnamese cooking, and though recipes and versions change from town to town and cook to cook, I favor this one for its versatility. Use it to dress greens or shredded green papaya, as a dipping sauce for crispy Vietnamese spring rolls or grilled meat skewers. Or in the Braised Romaine with Nuoc Cham Caesar (page 000). Its shelf life is indefinite, and it even gets better the longer it is stored.

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) fish sauce

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon minced ginger

• 1 teaspoon sambal oelek

• juice and zest of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon zest)

• 2 tablespoons sorghum syrup

Combine all ingredients and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate indefinitely.

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Taiwanese Chicken Nuggets

Makes enough for 2-4 people as an appetizer

Growing up, I liked homemade Taiwanese chicken just fine, but this isn’t a time-honored family recipe. It wasn’t until I incorporated the influence of Chick-fil A, always a steady presence in my southern life from the early days, that this chicken became one of my favorite Taiwanese dishes. Once I discovered their chicken nuggets, I immediately started to compare them to what we were making at home. This led me to incorporate tangy buttermilk into our brine, adding an acidic, viscous element which absorbed more of the dredge, making for more crunch, upping the addictive nature of the distinct Taiwanese flavorings—perfect with a side of honey for dipping.

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (1.5 pounds), cut into 1/2 inch-pieces 2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk

• 1 large egg

• For the dredge:

• 1 cup cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

• For the seasoning:

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying 10 basil leaves