Bun Cha - Vietnamese Meatballs
Recipe video above. Everything you know and love about Vietnamese food - fresh, healthy and full of flavour! Bun Cha in Vietnam is served slightly differently (read in post), but here I've made noodle bowls which are more familiar to those outside of Vietnam. See Notes for what this tastes like!
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 250 - 300 g/8 - 10 oz pork mince ((ground pork)(Note 1))
- 1 tbsp fish sauce ((Note 2))
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions / scallions
- 1 clove garlic (, minced)
- Pinch of white pepper and salt
- 2 tsp lemongrass paste or fresh finely chopped (, optional (Note 4))
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil (, for cooking)
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce ((Note 2))
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 birds eye chilli (, seeded and finely chopped (Note 3))
- 3 cloves garlic (, finely chopped)
- 100 g / 3.5 oz vermicelli noodles (, dried)
- Big handful beansprouts
- Few lettuce leaves (, folded or shredded)
- Julienned carrot and white radish ((daikon), optional quick pickle (Note 5))
- Handful of coriander/cilantro sprigs (, mint)
- Sliced red chilli (, lime wedges (optional))
Instructions
- 1
Sauce: Mix ingredients. Set aside 10 minutes+.
- 2
Noodles: Pour over boiling water and soak per packet directions. Drain, set aside.
- 3
Mix all ingredients except oil until combined.
- 4
Shape into 6 mini hamburger patties with your hands.
- 5
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add patties and cook for 2 1/2 minutes or until golden. Flip, cook 2 minutes then remove.
- 6
Place noodles in bowl. Top with a handful of beansprouts, wedge in lettuce, carrots and radish in.
- 7
Place meatballs on top, top with coriander and mint.
- 8
Spoon over a generous amount of Sauce (it's supposed to be like a soup broth), eat and be happy!