Pork kao lau

Finely chop the shallots, grate the garlic. Flatten the lemongrass stalk.

In a thick-bottomed pan, heat the oil and warm the lemongrass for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sauté for 5 minutes.

Pour in soy sauce, add sugar, salt, and the five-spice mix. Bring everything to a boil and heat for a few minutes.

Cut the tenderloin in half to fit in the skillet, place it in the prepared sauce, and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side over medium heat. Turn the tenderloin every few minutes to coat it with sauce on all sides.

Pour 1.5 cups of water into the pan and simmer the meat uncovered on low heat for about an hour. Turn the pieces every 10 minutes to soak them in the sauce.

After 1 hour, if the sauce has not thickened, increase the heat. Bring the sauce to a glaze that does not run off the meat. Coat the meat in the sauce to cover it with a thin layer. Remove the pieces of meat to a plate and cover with foil.

Pour 0.5 cup of boiling water into the thickened sauce in the pan, bring to a boil, and cook for a couple of minutes. Transfer the finished sauce to a bowl.

To prepare, boil the noodles according to the instructions.

Blanch soybean sprouts for 30 seconds. Slice the meat thinly.

Place the sprouts in a bowl, then the noodles, with meat and greens around the edge. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of warmed sauce and sprinkle with onion and hot pepper.