Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Complexity: average
Servings: 6

If you can't decide whether you want refreshing cold noodles or a bowl of hot Asian soup, try bun cha (grilled pork cutlets with rice noodles). This is one of the most famous dishes from the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. Firm rice noodles are served with grilled marinated pork cutlets (and, in this case, fried lard) immersed in a hot sauce that doubles as a sweet and tart broth. Whether you dip the noodles in the sauce, spoon it over the dish, or sip it straight from the bowl, bun cha is a true delight!

Ingredients:

Grilled pork cutlets and lard

• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 700 g of minced pork
• 1 piece of skinless lard weighing 350 g (4-5 cm wide), cut into 0.5 cm thick slices (36-42 pieces in total)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
• 1 teaspoon dry Asian chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Rapeseed oil (canola) for greasing

Dip sauce

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 heaping tablespoon)
• 1 medium carrot (about 70 g), peeled and cut into thin slices
• 1 piece (170 g) green (unripe) papaya, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1-2 red Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced

Innings

• 2 packages of 400-430 g rice vermicelli (bun tuoi), cook according to package instructions and cool to room temperature
• 1 large head of lettuce (about 170 g), leaves separated
• 3 cups bean sprouts (about 170 g)
• 1 small English cucumber (200-300 g), thinly sliced ​​diagonally
• 1 small bunch cilantro, tough stems removed
• 1 small bunch of mint, separated into sprigs

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

minced pork, papaya, rice noodles, fish sauce, oyster sauce, chili pepper, lemongrass, syrup

We recommend

Preparation:

Step 1
• Grilled pork cutlets and lard:
  
  Turn on the kitchen hood or open a nearby window. There will be a lot of smoke! In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 tablespoon of water and place over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Then cook until the caramel darkens to a rich, soy-sauce-like brown and begins to smoke, 5-7 minutes; swirl the pan as needed to ensure even cooking.
Step 2
• Immediately turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Carefully add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan (the caramel will start to splatter). Stir the caramel with a silicone spatula until completely smooth. Pour the caramel into a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
Step 3
• Meanwhile, place ground pork and lard in 2 separate medium bowls.
Step 4
• Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, broth, and black pepper to the caramel and stir. Add 6 tablespoons of the sauce to the ground pork, then add the remaining sauce to the bowl with the lard. Using your hands, mix the ground pork, then the lard with the sauce until evenly distributed. Refrigerate both bowls for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Do not refrigerate overnight, or the meat will become too salty.
Step 5
• Divide the marinated ground pork into 18 portions (about 1/4 cup each), placing each piece on a large baking sheet. Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten to form a 1 cm thick by 5 cm wide patty.
Step 6
• Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Preheat an outdoor grill or a large cast-iron grill pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Lightly coat the grill grate or grill pan with vegetable oil. Grill the patties (in batches, if needed) until they are charred and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked patties to a clean baking sheet.
Step 7
• Reduce the heat slightly. Cook the bacon (in batches, if needed) until the slices are charred, 2-4 minutes per side, turning as needed to ensure even cooking. Transfer the fried bacon to the same baking sheet as the patties and place in the oven to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
Step 8
• Dip sauce:
  
  Combine the sugar with 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot and steaming, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup cold water, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, carrots, green papaya, and chili pepper. Stir.
Step 9
• For serving:
  
  Divide the noodles into 6 serving bowls. Place lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, and mint on the serving dish.
Step 10
• Divide the pork cutlets and lard among 6 individual bowls or deep plates and top each with 1/2 cup of warm sauce. Serve each guest a bowl of pork and a small bowl of noodles. Place a platter of vegetables and herbs on the table. Eat, dipping the noodles, herbs, and vegetables into the warm sauce. Alternatively, tear the lettuce and herbs and add them to the sauce along with the other vegetables before dipping the noodles. Or, eat as you like.

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