Main CourseLunchDinner

Bun Cha

Name: Bun Cha
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: vietnamese
Ingredients: 500 g pork shoulder ground; 250 g pork belly thinly sliced; 2 pcs shallot finely minced; 4 clove garlic minced; 4 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 250 g rice vermicelli noodles; 1.5 cup water; 0.5 cup fish sauce; 0.5 cup sugar; 0.25 cup rice vinegar; 2 clove garlic minced; 1 pcs chili sliced, adjust to taste (optional); 1 pcs carrot julienned or grated; 0.5 pcs green papaya julienned or grated (optional); 200 g lettuce washed and separated; 0.5 cup mint fresh leaves; 0.5 cup cilantro fresh leaves; 0.5 cup perilla fresh leaves (optional); 1 pcs cucumber sliced; 1 cup bean sprouts

Bun Cha is a classic Vietnamese dish featuring grilled pork patties and slices of marinated pork belly served over vermicelli noodles with a flavorful dipping sauce. Fresh herbs and vegetables complete this refreshing and satisfying meal. It's a popular choice for lunch or dinner.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 35 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 1,095 kcal

Gluten-free

Allergen information: may contain fish and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

pork patties

500 gpork shoulder, ground

pork slices

250 gpork belly, thinly sliced

pork marinade

2 pcsshallot, finely minced
4 clovegarlic, minced
4 tbspfish sauce
2 tbspsugar
1 tspblack pepper
1 tbspvegetable oil

noodles

250 grice vermicelli noodles

dipping sauce

1.5 cupwater
0.5 cupfish sauce
0.5 cupsugar
0.25 cuprice vinegar
2 clovegarlic, minced
1 pcschili, sliced, adjust to taste(optional)

dipping sauce garnish

1 pcscarrot, julienned or grated
0.5 pcsgreen papaya, julienned or grated(optional)

fresh herbs and vegetables

200 glettuce, washed and separated
0.5 cupmint, fresh leaves
0.5 cupcilantro, fresh leaves
0.5 cupperilla, fresh leaves(optional)
1 pcscucumber, sliced
1 cupbean sprouts

Equipment

grill · tongs · large bowl · small saucepan · grill pan

The method

Step by step

1
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork shoulder with half of the minced shallot, minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and vegetable oil.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Mix gently but thoroughly to combine all ingredients without overworking the meat.
2
Form the mixture into small, flat patties, about 1.5 inches in diameter.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Wet your hands slightly to prevent the pork mixture from sticking.
3
Place the thinly sliced pork belly in a separate bowl and marinate with the remaining half of the minced shallot, minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and vegetable oil.
About 5 min
4
Cover both the pork patties and pork belly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: Marinating longer, up to a few hours, will enhance the flavor.
5
Prepare the dipping sauce (nuoc cham) by combining the water, fish sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan.
About 2 min
6
Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Do not boil the sauce; just warm it enough to dissolve the sugar.
7
Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Cooling the sauce makes it more refreshing.
8
Once cooled, stir in the minced garlic, sliced chili, julienned carrot, and julienned green papaya (if using).
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Adjust chili amount to your preferred spice level.
9
Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions, usually by soaking in hot water or boiling briefly.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcook the noodles; they should be al dente.
10
Drain the cooked noodles and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking, then set aside.
About 1 min
11
Preheat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the grill is hot enough to get a good sear.
12
Grill the pork patties for 3-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through and nicely charred.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: Avoid overcrowding the grill to ensure even cooking.
13
Grill the pork belly slices for 2-3 minutes per side, or until crispy and golden brown.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Pork belly cooks faster due to its fat content.
14
To serve, arrange the cooked vermicelli noodles, grilled pork patties, and grilled pork belly in individual bowls.
About 2 min
15
Serve with fresh lettuce, mint, cilantro, perilla, sliced cucumber, and bean sprouts on the side.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Encourage diners to customize their bowls with fresh herbs.
16
Pour a generous amount of the dipping sauce over the noodles and pork, or serve it on the side for dipping.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: The sauce is key to the dish's flavor, so don't be shy!

Per serving

Nutrition

37%Score

Calories: 1,095.3kcal
Protein: 38.6g
Carbs: 103.1g
Fat: 60.5g
Fibre: 3.8g
Sugar: 37.1g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover grilled pork and noodles separately from the dipping sauce and fresh vegetables in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat grilled pork gently in a pan or microwave. Noodles can be refreshed with a splash of hot water. Serve with fresh sauce and vegetables.