Cơm Sườn Nướng

Step 1

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dots—then place the minced garlic in a small bowl.

Step 2

Pour 3 tablespoons of fish sauce into the bowl with the garlic, then add 2 tablespoons of honey and 0.25 teaspoon of black pepper.

Step 3

Stir the marinade with a spoon until the honey dissolves completely and the mixture looks uniform, about 30 seconds.

Step 4

Place the pork chops on a plate and pour the marinade evenly over both sides, using your fingers to rub it into the meat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Step 5

While the pork marinates, slice the cucumber lengthwise into thin rounds about 1/8 inch thick, moving the knife parallel to the cutting board to create flat slices.

Step 6

Place a grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and let it sit empty until a drop of water flicked onto the surface immediately sizzles and disappears, about 2 minutes.

Step 7

Lay the marinated pork chops on the hot surface and do not move them for 4 minutes—you'll hear a steady sizzle and smell the meat caramelizing.

Step 8

Use tongs to flip each chop to the other side and cook without moving them for another 4 minutes, until the surface is golden-brown with charred edges.

Step 9

Using tongs, transfer the cooked chops to a clean plate and let them rest undisturbed for 3 minutes—this keeps the meat juicy.

Step 10

Divide the cooked rice evenly between two plates or bowls, pressing it down gently with the back of a spoon to create a flat base.

Step 11

Place one pork chop on top of the rice on each plate, positioning it slightly off-center on the rice mound.

Step 12

Arrange the cucumber slices in a small pile to the right of the pork chop on each plate.

Step 13

Scatter the fresh cilantro and mint leaves over the rice and pork, distributing them evenly across the top.

Step 14

Place two lime wedges on the edge of each plate for squeezing over the meal just before eating.