Vietnamese Herb Garnish Plate (Dia Rau Song)
- 4 to 6 sprigs mint or spicy Thai mint, plus the same amount of any of these if you like: Thai basil or lemon basil, culantro or cilantro, and rice-paddy herb
- 4 handfuls bean sprouts
- 1 or 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 2 green or red Thai, jalapeno, Fresno, or serrano chiles, thinly sliced (on diagonal if small, so they don't get lost in the pho)
- At least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving, refresh herbs: Trim stems. Set mint (and cilantro and regular basil, if using), stem side down in a large bowl of water. Submerge Thai basil, culantro, and rice-paddy herb (if using) fully in bowls of water. Pat herbs dry.
- Leave bean sprouts raw, or soften them a little so they add just a gentle crunch to pho: When water is boiling for pho noodles (step 10 of master recipe), add bean sprouts, stir around for a minute or so, and lift out with a strainer; set on a paper towel to drain.
- Put chiles in a small dish and set on a large plate or a platter. Arrange everything else on plate and serve immediately.
mint, sprouts, green
Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/vietnamese-herb-garnish-plate-dia-rau-song (may not work)