Bun Cha Hanoi
A beloved Hanoi street food dish featuring smoky grilled pork patties and pork belly served in a sweet and tangy dipping broth alongside cold vermicelli noodles and a mountain of fresh herbs. The contrast between hot grilled meat and cool noodles makes this dish uniquely satisfying.
Hanoi-style grilled pork served in a savory dipping broth with vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs.
Nutrition per serving
Ingredients
Pork Patties
Grilled Pork
Broth
Noodles
Garnish
Instructions
Season and Shape the Pork
Combine ground pork with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 2 minced shallots, and black pepper. Mix well and form into small flat patties about 2 inches wide. Toss the pork belly slices with the same marinade and let everything rest for 20 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Grill the Pork
Grill the pork patties and pork belly over high charcoal heat or a very hot grill pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply charred with visible grill marks. The smokiness from the char is the defining characteristic of authentic bun cha and cannot be replicated by pan frying alone.
Make the Dipping Broth
Combine 1 cup of warm water with 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 sliced chili. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust the balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy to your preference.
Assemble and Serve
Divide the dipping broth among 4 shallow bowls and place the grilled pork directly into the broth. Serve the cold vermicelli noodles and fresh herb platter on the side. To eat, dip noodles and herbs into the broth bowl with the pork and enjoy together in each bite.
Substitutions
Common mistakes
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