Name: Northern Vietnam Vermicelli Noodles with Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bun Cha Hanoi)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1½ lbs fatty ground pork (at least 20% fat); 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 3 tablespoons brown sugar; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon roasted rice powder; ½ teaspoon MSG (optional); ¼ cup minced lemongrass; 4 fresh garlic cloves (finely minced); 1 small shallot (finely minced); 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for coating hands to prevent sticking); Lettuce; Cucumber; Vietnamese herbs; 14 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles (Jiang Xi brand); 2 cups thinly sliced unripe green papaya; 2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1 cup hot water; ¾ cup granulated sugar; ¾ cup fish sauce; 3 tablespoons lime juice (1 fresh lime); 2 cups coconut soda (Coco Rico); 6 garlic cloves (finely minced); 2 Thai chili peppers (thinly sliced)

Description

My favorite Vietnamese dish of all time, this refreshing and light dish is made with rice noodles, charcoal-grilled pork patties, fresh vegetables and Vietnamese herbs. It’s served with a sweet chili sauce and pickled vegetables to bring all the wonderful flavors of Vietnam together.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pork Patties

1 1/2 lbs fatty ground pork (at least 20% fat)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon roasted rice powder
1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)
1/4 cup minced lemongrass
4 fresh garlic cloves (finely minced)
1 small shallot (finely minced)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil (for coating hands to prevent sticking)

Vegetables, Herbs and Noodles

Lettuce
Cucumber
Vietnamese herbs
14 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles (Jiang Xi brand)

Quick Pickled Papaya

2 cups thinly sliced unripe green papaya
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce/Broth

1 cup hot water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice (1 fresh lime)
2 cups coconut soda (Coco Rico)
6 garlic cloves (finely minced)
2 Thai chili peppers (thinly sliced)

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Instructions

Season pork. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground pork, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ground black pepper, roasted rice powder, MSG, lemongrass, garlic, and shallots.
Make patties and grill. To prevent the ground pork mixture from sticking to your hands, oil them with vegetable oil. Roll the mixture into 32 small patties. Grill the patties over charcoal fire for a more authentic taste, about 8 minutes per side or until lightly charred. You can also pan-fry the patties on high heat on the stovetop or air-fry them at 350°F, about 5 minutes per side.
Make the quick pickled papaya. In a medium bowl, combine sliced papaya and salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the salted papaya under cold running water and squeeze out excess water. Drain. Mix with water sugar and vinegar. Set aside.
Make the dipping sauce/broth. In a large bowl, mix together water and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Add fish sauce, lime juice, coconut soda, garlic, and chili peppers. Adjust to taste if needed.
Cook the noodles per package instructions.
Assemble for each serving. In a small bowl, add pork patties, pickled papaya and cover with dipping sauce/broth. Serve with rice noodles and a platter of vegetables and herbs on the side.

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: entree
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: asian, vietnamese