Bun Cha (Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Noodles)
Author: Marthinus Strydom
Category: Pasta & Rice
A classic Hanoi-style Vietnamese dish of grilled pork patties and pork belly served with rice noodles, fresh herbs, and a tangy nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Method
- Combine ground pork, fish sauce, honey, shallots, garlic, pepper, caramel sauce, and oil. Mix well. Cover and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Mix sliced pork belly with fish sauce, honey, shallots, garlic, and pepper. Marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Dissolve sugar in warm water. Add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chilies. Add carrot or green papaya if using. Let sit 15+ minutes.
- Boil water, cook vermicelli 3–5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Form pork patties (12–16 pieces). Grill patties and pork belly 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Divide noodles into bowls. Serve with herbs, lettuce, cucumber, and pickles. Add grilled pork. Serve with dipping sauce.
For Serving
400 g dried rice vermicelli
1 head butter lettuce
fresh herbs: mint, thai basil, cilantro, perilla
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
pickled carrots and daikon (optional)
green onions and fried shallots (optional)
For the Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
¼
cup
(12 Teaspoons)
fish sauce (for dipping sauce)
¼
cup
(12 Teaspoons)
sugar (for dipping sauce)
½
cup
(24 Teaspoons)
water
2 tbsp
(6 Teaspoons)
lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 thai chilies, finely sliced
1 small carrot or green papaya, julienned (optional)
Pork Patties
500 g ground pork
2 tbsp
(6 Teaspoons)
fish sauce
2 tbsp
(6 Teaspoons)
honey or sugar
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
minced shallots
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
minced garlic
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
caramel sauce (optional)
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
vegetable oil
Sliced Pork Belly
300 g pork belly, thinly sliced
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
fish sauce
1 tbsp
(3 Teaspoons)
honey or sugar
1 tsp minced shallots
1 tsp minced garlic
½
tsp ground black pepper