Vietnamese Bún Chả (Grilled Pork with Rice Noodles)

By Culiora

Bún chả is a classic Hanoi dish featuring grilled pork patties and sliced pork belly served in a warm, sweet-and-sour fish sauce broth (nước chấm). It is enjoyed alongside cold rice noodles, crisp quick-pickled vegetables, and generous amounts of fresh herbs.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 35 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Total time: 60 min

Ingredients

• 400 g ground pork
• 300 g skinless pork belly, thinly sliced
• 2 pcs shallots, very finely chopped
• 3 clove garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar or palm sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce or caramel sauce (nước màu)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 pcs carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 150 g daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar or spirit vinegar (12%) diluted
• 300 ml warm water
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 clove garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 pcs red chili (such as red finger chili or bird's eye chili), thinly sliced
• 300 g thin rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 pcs pot fresh mint
• 1 pcs pot fresh cilantro
• 1 pcs head romaine or Batavia lettuce, leaves separated

Instructions

1. Whisk together the shallots, grated garlic, fish sauce, sugar, dark soy sauce, neutral oil, and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Divide the marinade equally between two separate bowls.
2. Add the thinly sliced pork belly to one bowl of marinade. In the second bowl, combine the ground pork with the marinade and work quickly until a cohesive mixture forms. Let both marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature (or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator).
3. Toss the sliced carrot and daikon with the salt in a small bowl, massaging it gently, and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse the salt off thoroughly under cold water and squeeze out excess moisture. Stir in 1 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp rice vinegar; set aside.
4. Bring the water and sugar for the dipping sauce to a simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust—the balance should be sweet, sour, and savory. Stir in the finely chopped garlic and red chili just before serving.
5. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions (typically 3–4 minutes in boiling water). Drain and rinse immediately under cold running water to halt cooking and remove excess starch. Drain thoroughly in a colander and divide into individual portions.
6. Shape the ground pork mixture into small, flat patties (about 3–4 cm in diameter). Heat a grill pan or skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat (or prepare an outdoor grill).
7. Sear or grill the pork patties for 3–4 minutes per side and the sliced pork belly for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply caramelized and cooked through (at least 72 °C internal temperature for the patties).
8. Ladle the warm dipping sauce into four deep serving bowls. Place the freshly grilled patties, crispy pork belly slices, and a generous spoonful of pickled vegetables directly into the warm sauce.
9. Serve the bowls of warm pork and broth alongside platters of cold rice vermicelli, crisp lettuce leaves, and fresh herbs. Dip the noodles and greens into the sauce with each bite.