Blend the shallots, garlic, and lemongrass in a blender or food processor until smooth (add a little water to help blend).

Squeeze out the liquid from the blended mixture into two bowls (you can add a bit of the lemongrass pulp for extra flavor). I don’t season much, just use the marinade packet below for a rich, flavorful taste.

Add 1 small spoonful of sweetened condensed milk to each bowl of meat. This makes the meat more tender and prevents burning like when using sugar.

I use an air fryer to grill the meat. If you use a grill over charcoal, the flavor will be just like at a restaurant. I don’t preheat the air fryer; grill the patties at 356°F (180°C) for 15 minutes per side. For the pork belly, grill for 10 minutes at 365°F (185°C).

Mix the fish sauce according to the ratio above: 1:1:1:5 (fish sauce: vinegar: sugar: water) for a balanced taste. My family eats a lot, but we still have leftover sauce and noodles. Heat the sauce to dissolve the sugar, and it’s ready. You can also make a green papaya and carrot salad to serve on the side, but I only had cucumber this time.