Bun Cha
Hanoi-style grilled pork patties served over rice vermicelli with a sweet-tangy dipping broth.
Meat
⚠ Contains: Fish. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
How this varies: Green papaya is the classic Hanoi choice, but kohlrabi is a common and equally traditional substitute when papaya isn't available, especially outside Vietnam.
Ingredients
- 400g ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic, 1 shallot, minced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar (for patties)
- 300g rice vermicelli, cooked
- 1/3 cup fish sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, 1/3 cup lime juice, 2/3 cup warm water (dipping broth)
- 1 clove garlic, 1-2 red chilies, minced (for broth)
- 1 small green papaya (or kohlrabi), julienned and pickled
- 1 carrot, julienned and pickled
- Lettuce, mint, and cilantro, to serve
Steps
- Mix ground pork with garlic, shallot, fish sauce, and sugar; shape into small flat patties.
- Grill patties over hot coals or a grill pan until charred and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
- Dissolve sugar in warm water, then stir in fish sauce and lime juice to make the dipping broth.
- Add minced garlic, chili, pickled green papaya (or kohlrabi), and pickled carrot to the broth.
- Drop hot grilled patties into the dipping broth just before serving.
- Serve with vermicelli, lettuce, and herbs for wrapping and dipping.