Vietnamese Lemongrass Shrimp with Vermicelli Noodles

Place 150 g dry rice vermicelli noodles in a large bowl, cover completely with boiling water, and let soak for 8 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.

Peel and julienne 1 medium carrot. Julienne 1/2 English cucumber. Roughly chop 15 g fresh mint leaves and 15 g fresh cilantro. Finely mince 1 red bird's eye chili.

Trim 2 fresh lemongrass stalks, discarding the tough outer layers, and finely mince the tender white inner core. Mince 3 garlic cloves.

In a medium bowl, prepare the shrimp marinade: combine half of the minced lemongrass, half of the minced garlic, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp white sugar, and 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil. Add 300 g raw shrimp, toss to coat thoroughly, and let marinate at room temperature for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, prepare the nuoc cham dressing: combine the remaining minced lemongrass, remaining garlic, the minced red bird's eye chili, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp white sugar, 4 tbsp fresh lime juice (squeezed from 2 limes), and 4 tbsp warm water. Stir vigorously until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Heat 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil in a skillet over high heat. Add the marinated shrimp in a single layer. Sear without moving for 2 minutes to develop a light crust, then flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until the shrimp are completely pink, opaque, and cooked through.

To assemble for meal prep, divide the drained vermicelli noodles between two containers. Arrange the julienned carrot, julienned cucumber, chopped mint, and cilantro neatly on top. Place the seared shrimp alongside the vegetables. Store the nuoc cham dressing in separate small containers to pour over the dish just before serving.