Authentic Hanoi Bun Cha Recipe

Ingredients−4servings+

• Ground pork (pork shoulder)500g
• Pork belly500g
• Minced shallots6 (half for pork belly, half for ground pork)
• Minced garlic2 tablespoons (1 tablespoon for each type of meat)
• Minced scallion whitesAs needed (for pork belly)
• Minced scallion greensAs needed (for ground pork)
• Nuoc hang (caramelized sugar water)2 tablespoons (1 tablespoon for each type of meat)
• Oyster sauce2 tablespoons (1 tablespoon for each type of meat)
• Fish sauce2 tablespoons (1 tablespoon for each type of meat)
• Brown sugar3 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons for each type of meat)
• Black pepperA pinch (a pinch for each type of meat)
• Seasoning powderA pinch (a pinch for each type of meat)
• Unripe papaya1/4 of a papaya
• CarrotAs needed
• Salt1 tablespoon (for pickling papaya)
• Salt0.5 tablespoon (for seasoning pickled vegetables)
• Sugar3 tablespoons (for seasoning pickled vegetables)
• Vinegar1 tablespoon (for seasoning pickled vegetables)
• Water1 cup (250ml)
• Fish sauce (Red Boat 40°N)2.5 tablespoons (40-45ml)
• Sugar4 tablespoons
• Vinegar (distilled white vinegar)1 tablespoon
• Lemon juice1 tablespoon
• Minced garlicAs needed (for the dipping sauce)
• Minced chiliAs needed (for the dipping sauce)
• Rice vermicelli noodles (bun)As needed
• Fresh herbs (lettuce, cilantro, bean sprouts, etc.)As needed
• Mint leavesFor garnish

Directions▶ Start cooking

1. Slice the pork belly into approximately 0.5 cm thick pieces.
2. Finely mince the white parts of the scallions and add them to the pork belly.
3. Finely mince the green parts of the scallions and add them to the ground pork.
4. To each, the pork belly and the ground pork, add half of the minced shallots, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of nuoc hang, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1.5 teaspoons of brown sugar, a pinch of black pepper, and a pinch of seasoning powder. Mix well.
5. Marinate the seasoned meat for at least 1 to 2 hours.⏱ 2h
6. Peel the unripe papaya, remove the seeds, and soak it in cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 30 minutes to remove the sticky sap.⏱ 30m
7. Wash and prepare the carrot.
8. Cut the papaya and carrot into bite-sized pieces (carrots can be cut into flower shapes for a prettier presentation).
9. To the sliced papaya and carrot, add 0.5 tablespoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Mix well and pickle for 20-30 minutes.⏱ 30m
10. In a bowl to make the dipping sauce, combine 1 cup (250ml) of water, 2.5 tablespoons (40-45ml) of fish sauce, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir well until the sugar dissolves.
11. Just before grilling the meat, add minced garlic and minced chili to the dipping sauce.
12. First, grill the marinated pork belly. (If grilling both simultaneously, it's recommended to place the pork belly on a higher rack so its fat drips onto the ground pork below.)
13. Once the pork belly is partially cooked, form the ground pork into patties and place them on the grill to cook alongside.
14. Flip the meat frequently to prevent burning and grill until golden brown.
15. Arrange the pickled vegetables on a plate, then top with the grilled pork belly and ground pork patties.
16. Pour a generous amount of the prepared dipping sauce over it and sprinkle with a pinch of black pepper.
17. Serve with rice vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs, and enjoy.
18. Garnish with mint leaves to finish.

🧑‍🍳 Recipe analysis notes

Supplementary notes from the video analysis. Please check the original video before cooking.

⚠️ Where this goes wrong

• Mind the heat and turn the meat often so it browns nicely without burning.
• If you don't soak away the sticky papaya sap thoroughly in salted water, it can taste bitter and feel unpleasant.
• Unless the meat marinates for at least 1-2 hours, the seasoning won't penetrate and the dish will taste flat.

🔄 Substitutions

• No nuoc hang? Make your own by melting sugar over low heat until it caramelizes and adding a splash of water, or add 1 tsp soy sauce for color.
• If you're using regular onion instead of shallots, mince about 1/2 a medium onion in place of the 6 shallots.
• If green papaya is hard to find, unripe mango or cucumber pickled the same way gives a similar texture.

🎚️ Adjusting the taste

• Using less minced chili in the dipping sauce, or leaving it out entirely, makes the dish milder.
• Cutting the fish sauce in both the meat marinade and the dipping sauce by about a third makes it less salty.
• Halving the sugar in both the dipping sauce and the pickled vegetables brings down the sweetness.

✔️ Verification notes

• When making the dipping sauce, make sure the sugar has dissolved completely so the flavors stay balanced.
• When grilling the meat, check carefully that it is cooked all the way through — especially the ground pork, which must not stay underdone.

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