Bun Cha
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
Allergen information: may contain fish and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
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
- 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
Store leftover grilled pork and noodles separately from the dipping sauce and fresh vegetables in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
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.
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