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Bun Cha (Vietnam)

Name: Bun Cha (Vietnam)
Total time: 35 min
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 500 g Pork; 300 g Rice noodles; 3 cloves Garlic; 2 Shallot; 4 tbsp Fish sauce; 2 tbsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Rice vinegar; 1 Lime; 1 Romaine lettuce; 1 bunch Fresh mint; 1 Carrot

Preparation time: 35 min
Servings: serves 4

Ingredients

serves 4

Pork — to buy500 g
Rice noodles — to buy300 g
Garlic — to buy3 cloves
Shallot — to buy2
Fish sauce — to buy4 tbsp
Sugar — to buy2 tbsp
Rice vinegar — to buy2 tbsp
Lime — to buy1
Romaine lettuce — to buy1
Fresh mint — to buy1 bunch
Carrot — to buy1

Preparation

Thinly slice the pork (or shape it into small meatballs if you prefer), then marinate for at least 20 minutes — ideally 1 hour — with the crushed garlic, minced shallot, 2 tbsp of fish sauce and 1 tbsp of sugar: the longer it marinates, the more flavourful the meat and the better it caramelises as it cooks.
Make the dipping sauce (nước chấm) by mixing the remaining fish sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice and a little warm water — taste and adjust for a sweet-salty-tangy balance you like, this sauce is essential to the dish.
Grill the marinated pork in a very hot pan or on the barbecue, 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely caramelised at the edges and lightly smoky.
Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions, then rinse them immediately in cold water so they stay nicely separated and stop cooking.
Serve the hot grilled pork with the cold noodles, lettuce, fresh mint and grated carrot on the side, and pour the nước chấm into small bowls — everyone dips their bites of pork and noodles into the sauce.