Bun Cha - a Hanoi Culinary Gem

Passport & Plate - Bun Cha

Vietnam | Tuesday, March 3, 2015 | 3 photos

Ingredients
Serves 4

Pork Patties and Slices

300g pork shoulder

300g pork mince

6 shallots, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 spring onions, very finely chopped

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tsp dark soy sauce

2 tsp salt

2 tsp honey

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To Serve

1 handful of mint leaves

1 handful of coriander leaves

1 handful of Thai Basil

1 large handful of bean sprouts

1 large handful of lettuce leaves

500g rice vermicelli noodles, cooked

Side of Pickles

quarter of a green papaya, thinly sliced

1 large carrot, sliced into carrot flowers (or simply sliced)

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

250 ml water

1 chilli, sliced thinly

2 garlic cloves, diced finely

juice of half a lime

 

How to prepare this recipe
1. Combine the pork mince with half of all the ingredients in the 'Pork Patties and Slices' section. Thinly slice the pork shoulder and place in a separate bowl with the other half of the remaining ingredients. Cover both bowls and leave in fridge to marinate overnight.

2. Prepare the side of pickles by slicing the carrots. Simply peel the carrots and then make V cuts lengthways, without going all the way. This way when you slice the carrot horizontally little carrot flowers are formed. Peel and slice the green papaya and put both vegetables into a bowl with the salt. Set aside for 10 minutes before rinsing in water. Drain thoroughly and place in a bowl with the sugar and rice vinegar. Leave to rest for an hour.

3. Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients together. Leave to one side.

4. Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet. Drain under cold water and leave to one side.

5. After marinating the pork, make small patties using your hands. It is easiest to form the balls if your hands have oil on them. Once you have formed a ball, gently flatten the pattie.

6. If you want to be really authentic then you could BBQ the meats otherwise I find the oven grill works equally well. Preheat the oven grill to 180 degrees. Place the slices and patties on the grill rack and grill for just under 10 minutes (or until nicely turned brown) before turning and grilling for a further 10 minutes.

To serve:

It's a great dish for people to help themselves so place the herbs/lettuce/bean sprouts, dipping sauce, side of pickles and noodles in separate bowls. Heat up the noodles by pouring boiling water over them and drain them thoroughly! Then place the meat on a separate plate. Guests pour a little dipping sauce in their bowl followed by a couple of slices of pork and a couple of pork patties and pickles. Then you dip a bit of vermicelli and fresh herbs/lettuce/bean sprouts into the bowl and then eat.

 

The story behind this recipe
I wanted to experience the real Hanoi, the type where locals go to feast and drink coffee and not where all the tourist hang out. I had been recommended to seek out 'Hanoi Kids', an organisation that conducts personal tours by local university students who show you their beloved Hanoi. The hope is that the students can improve their English and you enjoy an original type of tour. You pay for their lunch and drinks but otherwise the tour is free. After exploring the labyrinth of characterful streets in old Hanoi where dodging traffic regularly is part of daily life, we came to a pavement restaurant that was bustling with activity. Little tables with blue plastic chairs were jam packed with workers crouching over and devouring their lunch. The students told me that this was one of their favourite restaurants in Hanoi and served the legendary 'Bun Cha'. Many street cafes in Hanoi serve only one dish, but that one dish is cooked to perfection and memorable beyond words. Having not eaten Bun Cha before I was eager to experience this Vietnamese treat.
A large tin platter was placed on the small table, which we were huddled around and upon it were bowls of broth filled with BBQ pork slices and patties. In the middle of the platter where mountainous piles of noodles, fresh herbs, lettuce and bamboo shoots. Visually it was stunning. The simplicity of the spread did not reveal the resplendent flavours that came to the fore after the first mouthful. The freshness of the herbs combined with the tender pork and the sweetness of the sauce were magnificent and the atmosphere of eating in a local eatery with traffic and bikes whizzing by only added to the charm. I was entranced and ridiculously happy. I knew that this meal would be one that I would remember in my consciousness forever. At £2 a person it trumped all other dishes on price alone.
Returning home I tried to recall all the flavours and textures of the meal and the result is the recipe I have for you above.