Bun Cha Ha Noi (Hanoi Grilled Pork Patties with Noodles)

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

Smoky charred pork patties and belly slices swimming in a sweet-sour dipping broth, with cool rice noodles and a mountain of herbs. This is Hanoi street food at its most addictive — and it's far easier at home than you'd think.

Per serving: 845 kcal · 45.0g protein · 88.0g carbs · 36.0g fat

Ingredients

• 500g pork mince (20% fat)
• 300g pork belly, skin off, sliced 3mm thick
• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp caramel sauce or dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 300g dried thin rice vermicelli (bun)
• 1 small green papaya or 1/2 kohlrabi, thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 60ml rice vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (for pickles)
• 100g caster sugar (for dipping broth)
• 120ml fish sauce (for dipping broth)
• 120ml rice vinegar (for dipping broth)
• 500ml warm water
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1-2 red bird's eye chillies, sliced
• 1 lime
• Large handful each: mint, coriander, Thai basil, perilla if you can find it
• 1 baby gem lettuce, torn

Method

1. Mix the pork mince with half the garlic, half the shallots, 1 tbsp fish sauce, honey, caramel sauce, pepper and oil. Do the same seasoning mix for the sliced belly in a second bowl with the remaining garlic and shallots. Marinate both for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make the pickles: toss the papaya (or kohlrabi) and carrot with 1 tsp salt, rest 10 minutes, squeeze out liquid, then cover with 60ml rice vinegar and 2 tbsp sugar. Set aside.
3. Make the dipping broth: dissolve 100g sugar in 500ml warm water, then stir in 120ml fish sauce and 120ml rice vinegar. Taste — it should be sweet, sour and salty but drinkable. Add the sliced garlic and chilli, plus a squeeze of lime.
4. Shape the mince into 12 loose patties about 1.5cm thick — don't compact them.
5. Cook the rice noodles per the packet (usually 4-5 minutes), rinse well under cold water, drain thoroughly and loosen into nests.
6. Grill the belly slices over high heat (barbecue, griddle pan or hot grill) for 2-3 minutes a side until deeply caramelised and charred at the edges. Then grill the patties for 3-4 minutes a side.
7. While still hot, drop the pork straight into a warmed bowl of dipping broth along with some pickles — this is the point of bun cha, so let it sit 2 minutes to soak.
8. Serve the pork bowls alongside noodles, lettuce and a pile of herbs. Everyone dips noodles and herbs into the pork broth, bite by bite.