Bun Cha

by Dan Toombs
Star 3.9
    15m prep time
    30m total time
    Easy level
    17 ingredients
Bun Cha recipe by Dan Toombs

Bun cha is a hugely popular minced (ground) pork patty dish from Hanoi. It’s also really easy to make, though I have taken the liberty of simplifying the recipe even more in this case. Traditionally, these pork patties are prepared with homemade Vietnamese caramel. I learned to make it while there, but it isn’t an easy task and takes some time to get right. You could use shop-bought caramel or maple syrup, as I do in the recipe below.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

First, marinade the pork. Place the maple syrup, finely chopped lemongrass, finely chopped shallots half of the fish sauce, half of the grated garlic, and all of the **oyster sauce* and black pepper. Add the minced pork and mix well with your hands. Set aside to marinate while you prepare the rest of the dish (or overnight).

Step 2

In another bowl, whisk the lime juice, sugar, remaining grated garlic and fish sauce, grated carrot** and green papaya or mango. Mix together and set aside.

Step 3

When ready to cook, place rice vermicelli in a bowl and cover with boiling water. They should become soft in about 10 minutes, but please refer to the instructions on the side of the packet.

Step 4

Divide the pork into large or small patties – the choice is yours, as both are served in Vietnam.

Step 5

Heat a non-stick frying pan (skillet) over a medium–high heat and add a splash of oil. Fry the patties until cooked through. If you have golf ball-sized patties, as per the picture, these will take about 4 minutes per side to cook.

Step 6

Divide the rice noodles between four bowls and serve topped with the pork patties, the grated carrot slaw. Scatter over the coriander and mint along with chillies (if using) and lettuce. Serve and dig in.
  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • 2 heads Baby Gem, leaves seperated
    2 heads Baby Gem, leaves seperated 1 x Sainsbury's Little Gem Lettuce x2
  • 10g Mint, or coriander, picked
    10g Mint, or coriander, picked 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Mint 30g
  • 5 tbsp Fish Sauce, can also use a gf vaierty
    5 tbsp Fish Sauce, can also use a gf vaierty 1 x Blue Dragon Fish Sauce 150ml
  • 3.5 tbsp Garlic, peeled and grated or finely chopped
    3.5 tbsp Garlic, peeled and grated or finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Garlic
  • 200g Dried Rice Vermicelli Noodles
    200g Dried Rice Vermicelli Noodles 1 x Sainsbury's Rice Noodles 250g
  • 2 Banana Shallots, finely chopped
    2 Banana Shallots, finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Echalion Shallots 400g
  • 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
    2 tbsp Oyster Sauce 1 x Sainsbury's Oyster Sauce 150ml
  • 70ml Lime Juice
    70ml Lime Juice 2 x Sainsbury's Limes x1
  • Maldon Salt, to taste
    Maldon Salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
  • 700g Minced Pork
    700g Minced Pork 1 x Sainsbury's British 10% Fat Pork Mince 750g
  • 3 stalks Lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
    3 stalks Lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped 1 x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Lemongrass Sticks x2
  • 0.5 tsp Black Pepper
    0.5 tsp Black Pepper 1 x Sainsbury's Coarse Ground Black Pepper 45g
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup, or Vietnamese caramel (see intro)
    1 tbsp Maple Syrup, or Vietnamese caramel (see intro) 1 x Clarks Original Maple Syrup with Carob Syrup 180ml
  • 1 tbsp Sugar, more or less to taste
    1 tbsp Sugar, more or less to taste 1 x Sainsbury's White Caster Sugar 500g
  • 0.5 Carrot, peeled and grated
    0.5 Carrot, peeled and grated 1 x Sainsbury's Loose Carrots
  • 0.5 Green Mango, or green papaya, grated
    0.5 Green Mango, or green papaya, grated 1 x Sainsbury's Mango Single
  • 1 Red Chillies, finely sliced
    1 Red Chillies, finely sliced 1 x Sainsbury's Red Chillies 65g
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