Bun Cha – my favorite Vietnamese dish!
Bun Cha is a delightful Vietnamese dish that consists of grilled pork served with rice vermicelli noodles and a flavorful dipping sauce. It's a popular street food in Hanoi and a must-try for any visitor to Vietnam. Definitely my favorite dish!
Recipe
Ingredients:
For the Pork Patties: 1 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil (for grilling)
(Nuoc Mam Cham) 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 Thai bird's eye chilies, minced (adjust
to your spice preference)
Juice of 1/2 lime
For Serving: 8-10
ounces dried rice vermicelli noodles
Fresh herbs (e.g., mint, cilantro, and Thai
basil)
Thinly sliced cucumber
Bean sprouts
Sliced lime
Sliced fresh chili peppers (optional)
Instructions:
Prepare the Pork Patties:
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, minced garlic, minced shallot, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and salt. Mix well until all the ingredients are incorporated.
Shape the mixture into small, flattened patties, about 2 inches in
diameter.
Grill the Pork Patties:
Heat a grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush with a little vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
Grill the pork patties for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until they
are nicely charred and cooked through.
Prepare the Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Mam Cham):
In a bowl, combine fish sauce, sugar, white vinegar, water, minced garlic, minced chili peppers, and lime juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Taste and adjust the flavors, adding more sugar, fish
sauce, or lime juice as needed to balance the sweet, salty, sour, and spicy
elements.
Prepare the Rice Vermicelli Noodles:
Cook the rice vermicelli noodles
according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop
the cooking process. Set aside.
Assemble the Bun Cha:
To serve, place a portion of cooked rice vermicelli noodles in a bowl.
Arrange the grilled pork patties on top of the noodles.
Add a generous amount of fresh herbs, cucumber slices, bean sprouts, lettuce.
Serve with a bowl of dipping sauce, lime wedges, and sliced chili peppers for those who like extra heat.
To eat:
Dip the pork patties and noodles into the nuoc mam cham sauce and savor the delicious combination of flavors and textures.
Bun Cha is a delightful and refreshing dish, perfect for a taste of
Hanoi's street food culture!
Delicious! Enjoy!