Vietnamese Pork Bun Cha
Bun cha is a Hanoi street-food classic of grilled pork over rice vermicelli, with a sweet, sour, salty fish-sauce dipping broth and a tangle of fresh herbs.
Overview
Two cuts of pork (sliced belly and seasoned mince patties) are marinated in a fish-sauce, garlic and shallot mixture, then char-grilled fast over high heat to keep them juicy. They land in bowls of warm fish-sauce dressing alongside cooked rice vermicelli, fresh mint, Thai basil, lettuce, pickled green papaya and a sprinkle of garlic and chilli. Diners assemble each spoonful at the table from the components, lifting noodles and herbs into the broth.
Ingredients
Marinade
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 4 Asian shallots (small, or 2 eschallots, finely chopped)
- 6 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pork
- 500 grams pork mince
- 500 grams pork belly (sliced)
- Vegetable oil (for grilling)
Pickled Papaya (optional)
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 100 grams thinly sliced green papaya (or carrot)
Dressing
- ½ cup fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
To Serve
- 500 grams dried vermicelli noodles (cooked according to packet)
- 3 red chillies (seeded and finely chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- Fresh mint
- Thai basil
- Lettuce leaves
Method
Stage 1 - Marinate the Pork
- In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
- Mix half of the marinade with the sliced pork belly and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
- Mix the other half of the marinade with the pork mince and form into small patties.
- Set the patties aside to marinate too.
Stage 2 - Pickle the Papaya
- In a large bowl, combine the white vinegar, sugar and salt.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the sliced papaya and set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Pickled papaya keeps for up to a week refrigerated.
Stage 3 - Make the Dressing
- In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and water.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Stir in the lime juice.
Stage 4 - Grill the Pork
- Heat a char-grill pan, barbecue plate or frying pan over high heat.
- Brush with oil and grill the pork belly for 2 minutes on each side, until slightly charred and cooked through.
- Transfer to a serving platter.
- Brush the pan with oil again and cook the pork patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until charred and cooked through.
- Transfer to the same platter.
Stage 5 - Assemble & Serve
- Place a generous portion of pork belly and patties into a medium-sized serving bowl.
- Spoon over a generous amount of the dressing.
- Serve alongside the noodles, herbs, lettuce, pickled papaya, garlic and chilli.
- Each diner builds their own bowl by combining noodles, herbs and lettuce with the pork, then spooning over dressing and adding garlic and chilli to taste.
Notes
- Cook the pork fast: A high heat for a short time keeps the pork tender and juicy. Don't be tempted to lower the heat; the marinade contains sugar and benefits from a quick char.
- Marinate overnight: Even 1 hour helps, but overnight develops far more depth in both the pork belly and the patties.
- Dressing temperature: Cool the syrup completely before adding the lime juice, otherwise the heat dulls the lime's brightness.
- Pickled papaya: Optional but classic. Green papaya is sold at Asian grocers; finely shredded carrot is a fine stand-in.
- Build at the table: Bun cha is meant to be assembled spoonful by spoonful, with each diner adjusting the chilli, garlic and dressing to taste.
Variations
Chicken bun cha: Replace both cuts of pork with boneless chicken thigh; the marinade and method work identically. Beef bun bo: Swap pork for thinly sliced beef; reduce the cook time on the grill.
Serving
Serve with: Vietnamese pickled chillies and a small dish of crushed roasted peanuts Garnish with: A sprig of perilla leaves alongside the mint and basil
Storage
- Pork keeps 2 days refrigerated; reheat briefly under a hot grill
- Dressing keeps 1 week refrigerated in a sealed jar
- Pickled papaya keeps 1 week refrigerated
- Noodles, herbs and lettuce should be prepared fresh
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