Make the Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce ( Recipe is available at www.EatWithEmily.com )

Make the vinegar mix. In a bowl, combine the 2 cups of water, ½ cup of sugar, 1 cup of distilled white vinegar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Thinly slice the onion then place it into the vinegar mix. Allow to soak for 30 minutes or longer. Set aside.

Boil the pork. Fill a large pot with water, enough to submerge the pork and add a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of the Totole Chicken Soup Base Mix . Bring to a boil and drop in the pork. Skim off any scum from the top of the water. Bring back to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until the pork is thoroughly cooked. Remove from the pot and allow it to completely cool . Then thinly slice the pork. Do not discard the water in the pot yet.

Boil the shrimp. Place the shrimp with the skin on, in the same water that you have just boiled the pork in. Bring pork water to a boil, then dump in the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp is no longer pink. Remove the shrimp from the pot and allow it to cool. Peel then slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.

Wash the herbs: cilantro, mint leaves and vietnamese coriander. Pluck the leaves off of the stems for the mint leaves and vietnamese coriander. Then rough chop the cilantro, mint leaves and vietnamese coriander. Place the chopped herbs in a large bowl or colander and set aside.

Drain the lotus roots and slice in half lengthwise or in quarter if they are thick. Then slice once diagonally to make them a bit shorter in length. Then set aside.

Do not combine everything until you are ready to serve the salad ! If you are not ready to serve the salad, then place the herbs in a ziploc or plastic bag in the refrigerator to keep them from wilting. Once you are ready to serve the salad, first make sure that the pork is at room temperature. If the pork is cold, microwave it for 30 seconds or so or until it is at room temperature. Shrimp can be cold or at room temperature. Begin by placing some of the pork, shrimp, lotus roots, and pickled carrots & daikons in a large mixing bowl. Add a few spoons of fish sauce dipping sauce and mix. Then add in all the herbs and the sliced vinegared onions. Mix to combine everything.

Serve on individual plates. Place the salad on a plate then add some more fish sauce dipping sauce. Top with the chopped roasted peanuts and fried red onions. Serve immediately.