Bún chả: Hanoi grilled pork with noodles

Bún chả is a Hanoi dish of grilled pork, both patties and sliced pork belly, served in a bowl of warm, tangy dipping sauce with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs on the side. You dip the noodles and herbs into the sauce with the pork, bite by bite.

What the name means

Bún (boon) means rice vermicelli, and chả (chah) here refers to the grilled pork. Bún chả is strongly linked to Hanoi and Northern Vietnam, where it's a classic lunch, traditionally grilled over charcoal on the sidewalk.

The pork comes two ways:

• Chả viên (chah vee-en): seasoned ground pork patties.
• Chả miếng (chah mee-eng): thin slices of marinated pork belly or shoulder.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Pork patties

• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork, preferably not too lean
• 3 shallots, minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sliced pork

• 1 lb (450 g) pork belly or shoulder, sliced 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick
• 3 shallots and 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon caramel sauce (nước màu) or dark soy sauce for color (optional)

Dipping sauce and sides

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) fish sauce, 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar, 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar or lime juice
• 2 cups (480 ml) warm water
• 1 cup thinly sliced green papaya and carrot, garlic and chili
• 1 lb (450 g) rice vermicelli, cooked and rinsed
• Lettuce, perilla, mint, Thai basil and other herbs

Steps

• 1. Mix the ground pork with shallots, fish sauce, sugar and pepper. Chill 30 minutes, then shape into small flat patties about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
• 2. Toss the sliced pork with shallots, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, honey and caramel sauce. Marinate at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
• 3. For the sauce, dissolve the sugar in the warm water, then add the fish sauce and vinegar or lime. Taste and adjust. It should be lighter and more diluted than a standard dipping sauce, since it's served as a soup-like bowl.
• 4. Toss the papaya and carrot with a pinch of salt and sugar, let them sit 10 minutes, then squeeze dry and add to the sauce with garlic and chili.
• 5. Grill the patties and sliced pork over medium-high heat, ideally charcoal, about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned, slightly charred and cooked through. A grill basket helps with thin slices. A broiler also works.

Then serve:

• 6. Warm the dipping sauce gently; it's served warm, not hot.
• 7. Add the grilled pork straight into each person's bowl of sauce so it soaks up some flavor.
• 8. Serve with a plate of noodles and a big plate of herbs and lettuce. Each person picks up some noodles and herbs, dips them in the sauce with the pork and eats.

The Hanoi details that matter

• Charcoal smoke: the smoky char is a big part of the flavor. On a gas grill, let the meat char a little at the edges.
• Fatty pork: pork belly and fattier ground pork stay juicy and caramelize well.
• Light, warm sauce: Hanoi-style bún chả sauce is mild enough to sip, with pickled papaya floating in it.
• Fresh herbs: perilla and Vietnamese balm (kinh giới) are especially classic. See the guide to Vietnamese herbs.

Often served with

In Hanoi, bún chả is commonly paired with nem rán, Northern-style fried spring rolls. They're the Northern cousin of the Southern chả giò, and you dip them in the same sauce.

Bún chả vs bún thịt nướng

These two get confused. Bún chả is Northern, served with the pork in a bowl of warm sauce and noodles on the side. Bún thịt nướng is a Southern-style noodle bowl with everything layered together and nước chấm poured over the top. See bún thịt nướng.

Allergens

This dish uses fish sauce. Nem rán, if you serve them, often contain shrimp or crab. There are no peanuts in the classic recipe.

Grill the pork until the edges char a little and drop it straight into the warm sauce; that's the moment bún chả comes together.