Bun Cha Hanoi Grilled Pork (Printable version)
Grilled pork patties and belly served with rice noodles, fresh herbs, and tangy dipping sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pork & Marinade
01 - 10.5 oz pork shoulder or pork belly, thinly sliced
02 - 10.5 oz ground pork
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 small shallots, minced
05 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
06 - 2 tbsp sugar
07 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
08 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
11 - 3/4 cup warm water
12 - 3 tbsp fish sauce
13 - 2 tbsp sugar
14 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
15 - 1 garlic clove, minced
16 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced
17 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
→ Noodles & Garnishes
18 - 10.5 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
19 - 1 head lettuce, torn
20 - 1 handful cilantro leaves
21 - 1 handful mint leaves
22 - 1 handful Thai basil leaves
23 - 3.5 oz bean sprouts
24 - 1 cucumber, sliced
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine ground pork with half the minced garlic and shallots, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and oil. Mix thoroughly and shape into small 2-3 cm thick patties.
02 - Toss pork slices with remaining garlic, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, and oil. Let both patties and slices marinate for at least 15 minutes.
03 - Dissolve sugar in warm water. Stir in fish sauce, rice vinegar or lime juice, garlic, chili, and carrot if using. Adjust to achieve balanced sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors.
04 - Prepare vermicelli according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse with cold water to halt cooking process.
05 - Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill patties and slices for 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through and caramelized.
06 - Arrange noodles, herbs, lettuce, bean sprouts, and cucumber on serving plates.
07 - Present grilled pork hot alongside noodles and fresh herbs with dipping sauce on the side. Diners combine components in their bowls and dip into sauce.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The combination of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy hits every taste bud in one bite
- Its interactive and customizable, so everyone builds their perfect bowl
- The grilled pork gets these incredible caramelized edges that you just cant replicate any other way
02 -
- Dont skip the cold water rinse on noodles or theyll turn into a gummy mess
- The dipping sauce should taste stronger than you think, it mellows when mixed with everything else
- Have everything prepped before you start grilling, the pork cooks fast and needs to be served hot
03 -
- Pat the pork dry before grilling for better charring
- Let the dipping sauce sit for 30 minutes to meld flavors