How to make Bun Cha Hanoi (Hanoi-style vermicelli with grilled pork) –

Copyright by Bun cha 54 (NGOC MINH TAN SAIGON PRIVATE ENTERPRISE)

                       54 Dinh Tien Hoang, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Bun Cha is very popular in Hanoi and one of my all-time most-wanted dishes. It doesn't sound fancy, just couple slices of grilled pork but when they're placed in the combination with noodle, the green, herbs and especially fish sauce broth, everything just becomes fantastic. I guess that's the way Hanoi people enjoy their food too: simple but exquisite. The amount of spices I use in this recipe is based on what I have in my kitchen, which may vary from different brands; therefore, you may need to adjust the spice amount like fish sauce, sugar...to suit your taste. 

Ingredients:
1 lb pork belly (or pork shoulder if you can't find or don't like pork belly. However the belly tastes the best).

1 lb fresh ground pork.

1 lb package dried rice vermicelli (if can't find fresh one)

2 shallots
1 garlic
1 bundle green lettuce.
6-8 sprigs Vietnamese balm ( kinh gioi)
4 springs red Perilla (Tia to)
6 green onion
1 red Fresno chilly (or less if you can't handle hot spice).
Juice of 1 lime.
1 medium sized carrot
1 piece of green papaya (about 2x3 inch), replaced by kohlrabi, radish if green papaya is not available.
1 cup and 3 tablespoon fish sauce.
1 teaspoon ground pepper.
6 1/2 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar.
2 tablespoon vegetable oil.
Water
Salt to taste. 

Work:
Marinating the pork:Peel and mince garlic and shallot separately. Rinse green onion, remove roots and dark green part then chop into very fine rings. Chop pork belly crosswise into thin slices (about 0.2 inch width and 2 inch long). Add in: Half amount of shallot, 1/3 amount garlic, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon oil and a little bit salt. Mix well and set
aside. 

In a bowl, well mix ground pork with remaining shallot, green onion, 1/2 remaining garlic, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon oil and a little bit salt. Moisten your hand shape the mixture into small balls (as big as a medium sized lime). Press the balls to reduce thickness.
Leave the meat marinate at room temperature for 1hour. The best is to marinade overnight in refrigerator then leave at room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
Prepare the vegetable and vermicelli: Boil vermicelli if you use dry one. Instruction should be visible on every package. Cool under cold tap water. Drain and set aside. No need to worry about this hassle  If you use fresh vermicelli.
Generously peel carrot, radish or kohlrabi. If you use green papaya, peel and discard the inside, soak in salt water then rinse thoroughly to remove resin. Thinly slice them crosswise. Place in a bowl, add in rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Mix well and set aside. Prepare this mixture in advance to give it enough pickle flavors. Wash and coarsely chop green lettuce. Rinse thoroughly and shake dry all the herbs. 

Light the grill: 

Place the meat on grill grates and grill until it turns light brown and cooked through. Brush additional oil on the meat while grilling if it seems too dry (this may happen when using pork shoulder instead of belly). Do not bake the meat. Brush in anato oil for better look.

Make the sauce: 

Remembe good Bun cha doesn't depend much on the meat. In fact, it's the decision of the sauce. Rinse chilly, discard stem and chop coarsely. While waiting for the meat to rest, in a medium bowl, add: remaining garlic, 4 tablespoon sugar, 3 cup cool water and stir until sugar is totally melted. Add in 1 cup fish sauce, lime juice and chopped chilly. Add more or reduce fish sauce, sugar depending on your taste. 

Serving:
Divide meat, vermicelli and vegetable into equal portions or serve them as buffet. For the sauce, divide into small bowls, then add the carrot mixture into every bowl. Dip vegetable, herbs and meat into the sauce. Pour some sauce over vermicelli or dip it in the sauce if you like the thick taste. Eat a piece of meat with a piece of lettuce, herb, carrot and vermicelli all together to experience the combination of tastes.