Colonel Kurtz's Charlie Don't Surf n' Turf

by Rob Cooksey

1/2 pound shrimp 

1/2 pound pork (preferably with higher fat content to stimulate flame charring)

Agave nectar 

1 Can jack fruit

Thai basil

Mint

Cilantro

Chinese bean sprouts

1 Cucumber

Roasted peanuts

Nuoc Mam

1 tablespoon thai chili garlic paste

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon agave nectar

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup fish sauce

1/2 lime

1 carrot

Combine thai chili garlic paste, rice vinegar, agave nectar (or simple syrup), and  hot water in a bowl. Add fish sauce and the juice of the lime. Shred the carrot. Add carrot to mixture and place bowl in refrigerator to cool (for at least 20 minutes).

Pork Marinade

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fried shallots

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 limes, juiced

Bring water and sugar to boil. Reduce heat to low simmer. Let this slowly become a caramel syrup. You want it to start to thicken and brown, but not become too thick too mix with other liquids. When finished, cool the syrup a bit. Add fried shallots. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, a pinch of salt, sesame oil, juice of two limes, and the cooled caramel sauce. Cut pork for kebabs. Marinate in this mixture for at least 20 minutes. Preferably longer.

Shrimp Marinade

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon fried shallots

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Pinch salt

1 lime, juiced

1 stalk lemongrass, minced

Heat sesame oil. Add teaspoon fried shallots and minced garlic. Let heat for 30 seconds before adding minced lemongrass. Pull the pan from the heat. Add fish sauce, sugar, pinch salt, and the juice of a lime. Marinate shrimp in this for about 20 minutes.

Prepare rice noodles and put in refrigerator to cool. Slice the cucumber into 2 inch long slivers, shred a couple carrots, and slice the jack fruit into thin slivers. Put these in refrigerator. Roast a cup of peanuts in oven until dry and slightly browned. Crush these and set aside.

Get a good medium heat charcoal grill fire going. Skewer the pork and shrimp on separate skewers. Grill each, basting with the marinade at least once on each side. Char each side slightly. Be sure pork is cooked through. 

In a bowl, add a serving of rice noodles. Top with a skewer of pork and a skewer of shrimp. Garnichs with bean sprouts, cucumber, shredded carrot, jack fruit and some sprigs of mint, thai basil and cilantro. Serve a cup of nuoc mam on the side.