Bún chả
Grilled Pork Patties and Belly with Noodles and Dipping Sauce
Bún chả is Hanoi's grilled pork lunch: patties of minced pork and slices of pork belly marinated in fish sauce and garlic, grilled over charcoal and eaten with cold rice vermicelli, herbs and a warm sweet-sour dipping sauce.
The chef marinates 500 g of mince and 500 g of belly for 2 hours, grills 5 cm patties 4 minutes a side and the belly 4 minutes a side, and serves them with noodles, herbs and nước chấm.
Ingredients
For the pork
- 500 g minced pork
- 500 g pork belly, thinly sliced
For the marinade
- 80 ml fish sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 10 spring onions, sliced
- 100 g garlic chives, chopped
- 55 g red Asian shallots, diced
- 65 g garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp black pepper
To serve
- 500 g cooked rice vermicelli
- 200 g bean sprouts
- 1 bunch each of perilla, Asian basil, Vietnamese mint and mint
For the nước chấm
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 small red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Method
- Marinate Mix the marinade and divide it between the minced and the sliced pork. Chill for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high. Arrange the noodles, bean sprouts and herbs on separate plates.
- Grill Shape the mince into patties about 5 cm across and 1 cm thick. Grill the patties for 4 minutes a side and the belly slices for 4 minutes a side. The pork must be cooked through, with no pink.
- Make the sauce Boil the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar with a little water if needed, cool slightly, then add the chilli, garlic and lime juice.
- Serve Serve with a bowl of sauce for each person to dip the pork, noodles and herbs.
Food safety
Pork must be cooked through, with no pink and juices running clear. Charcoal and a hot grill burn. Wash hands and boards after raw pork. Cool leftovers quickly and reheat until piping hot.
The belly should be sliced thin so it cooks through.