Pork Main

Bun cha

Name: Bun cha
Prep time: 80 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /asian recipes
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 4.00 tablespoons fish sauce; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 500g boneless pork belly, skin removed, thinly sliced; 500g pork mince; 2 eschalots, finely chopped; 1 large carrot, halved lengthways, sliced; 1/2 green papaya, peeled, seeds removed, quartered lengthways, sliced; 1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar; 100ml rice vinegar; Sunflower oil, to shallow-fry; 250g vermicelli rice noodles, soaked, drained; Fresh mint leaves, to serve; Bird's-eye chillies, sliced, to serve; 1L (4 cups) Chicken Style Liquid Stock; 1 tablespoon caster sugar; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

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1h 20m

35m

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by Warren Mendes

delicious. team

Oct 03, 2015

Bun cha is a Vietnamese breakfast dish of delicate broth-like dipping sauce laced with pickled carrot, pork meatballs and slices of marinated pork chargrilled over coals.

2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g boneless pork belly, skin removed, thinly sliced
500g pork mince
2 eschalots, finely chopped
1 large carrot, halved lengthways, sliced
1/2 green papaya, peeled, seeds removed, quartered lengthways, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
100ml rice vinegar
Sunflower oil, to shallow-fry
250g vermicelli rice noodles, soaked, drained
Fresh mint leaves, to serve
Bird's-eye chillies, sliced, to serve

Dipping broth

1L (4 cups) Massel Chicken Style Liquid Stock
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Method

1.

Combine honey, soy and fish sauces, and garlic in a bowl. Place half the mixture in a zip-lock bag with the sliced pork belly, seal and shake to coat well. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour.
2.

Add mince and eschalot to the remaining honey mixture and combine well. Form into 12 patties and place on a baking paper-lined tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
3.

Meanwhile, place carrot and papaya in a bowl with sugar, vinegar, 1 1/2 tbs salt and 3/4 cup (185ml) hot water, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Set aside for 1 hour, then drain.
4.

Heat 1cm oil in a frypan over medium heat. cook the patties, in batches, for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.
5.

Drain oil from pan and wipe clean with paper towel. Add another 2 tbs oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Drain pork belly, discarding marinade, and add to the pan. cook for 6-8 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp.
6.

For the dipping broth, place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Divide broth among 4 bowls and serve with patties, pork belly, pickled vegetables, noodles, mint, and chilli in the centre of the table for people to serve themselves.