Preparation time: 2 hours
Cooking time: 15-30 minutes
Servings: 4
Bún chả gained international recognition in 2016 when it was featured on celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s TV show, Parts Unknown.
INGREDIENTS
- 200g pork belly
- 300g minced pork
- 1 salad
- 1 carrot
- 1 bunch of chives
- 1 packet of rice vermicelli
- Nuoc mam fish sauce
- Sunflower oil
- White rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Pepper
- Salt
- Homemade nuoc cham fish sauce
Seasoning:
- 2 handfuls of peanuts
- 100g bean sprouts
- 1 bunch of coriander
- 1 bunch of mint
Tools:
- Skewers
PREPARATION
Meat marinade
Wash the chives and chop them with a knife. Separate the white parts from the green ones. The white parts will be used to marinate the meat while the green ones will be sprinkled over the dish when it is served.
Cut the pork belly into thin strips. In a bowl, marinate them with 1/3 of the chives (white part), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 pinch of pepper, 1 tablespoon of nuoc mam and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix and set aside.
In a second bowl, marinate the minced pork with the rest of the chives (white part), 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 pinches of pepper, 2 tablespoons of nuoc mam and 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix well. Form meatballs and flatten them slightly.
Let the pork belly strips and the meatballs rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Vermicelli, vegetables and herbs
In a saucepan, boil some water with a pinch of salt and a few drops of oil. Add the vermicelli and cook them for a few minutes (or the cooking time indicated on the package). Once the vermicelli are cooked, drain them and set them aside.
Grate the carrot, then put it in a bowl containing ½ volume of vinegar, ½ volume of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Wash the salad and the herbs. Drain them and cut them finely. Set them aside.
Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan. Pour in all the green parts of the chopped chives. As soon as the chive’s smell begins to emerge (after 30 seconds), pour this mixture into a bowl and set it aside.
Crush the peanuts in a small bowl.
Cooking the meat
After 2 hours of marinating, skewer the pork belly slices and the meatballs and cook them on the barbecue or grill.
Serving
Put a little bit of vermicelli in a deep plate or large bowl, top them with vegetables and the grilled meat. Finish with some chives and peanuts. Pour the nuoc cham in a small bowl and add a bit of grated carrot in the sauce.
Enjoy your meal!