Bun Cha Vietnamese Pork Meatball And Noodle Salad Food

VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALLS WITH RICE NOODLE SALAD (BUN CHA)

Steps:

• Prepare the rice noodles according to pack instructions. Rinse with cold water, drain thoroughly and set aside.
• Finely grate the cucumber and use your hands to squeeze its juice into a small bowl. Add the grated cucumber and all remaining dipping sauce ingredients and stir together. Set aside.
• Put the sugar and fish sauce in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
• Put the shallot, garlic, chopped mint and pork in a bowl. Add the sugar/fish sauce and use your hands to thoroughly mix everything together. Cover with cling film and chill for at least an hour.
• Shape the mince into small meatballs (around 20) and cook under a hot grill (broiler) for 3-4 minutes on each side. Alternatively pan fry with a little vegetable oil until golden.
• Divide the cold noodles, lettuce, cucumber, spring onions and herbs between four bowls.
• Divide the meatballs between the bowls and add a tablespoon of Baxters Red Slaw on each salad. Spoon some of the dipping sauce over each bowl (or serve on the side), sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve.

VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALLS WITH GINGER-LIME SAUCE

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine the ginger, lime juice, and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Add the fish sauce. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes before serving.
• Soak 16 wood skewers in water for 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine pork, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or for as long as overnight.
• Light a charcoal grill or turn a gas grill to medium-high. Spoon 2 teaspoons of oil onto a platter. Use the oil to coat your hands. Scoop up a tablespoon of the pork mixture and shape it into a tight ball. Set on the oiled plate. Repeat with the remaining pork. You should have 50 meatballs.
• Slide the balls onto skewers, placing 3 on each. When the coals are ready, place skewers on the grill and cook for 10 minutes without moving. Turn and continue cooking 10 more minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
• Transfer the meatballs to a serving dish, setting aside 6 skewers for the noodle dish.
• Wrap the meatballs in the lettuce leaves, top with carrots and cilantro leaves. Serve with the ginger-lime sauce.

BUN CHA - VIETNAMESE MEATBALLS WITH VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix together the minced pork, fish sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, honey, spring onions, coriander (cilantro) and garlic.
• Set the mixture aside for 30-60 minutes in the fridge to let the flavours develop and to allow the mixture to firm.
• Form the pork mixture into small meatballs about the size of a golf ball, and then flatten them slightly.
• Heat a large frying pan with some vegetable oil and cook the meatballs until they are golden and caramelised.
• In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice.
• Add the fish sauce, water, garlic and chilli (if using), and mix until well-combined.
• Set the sauce aside for about 10-15 minutes before tasting.
• You may need to add a bit more lemon juice, fish sauce, or even water, to get a good balance of sweet, sour and salty.
• Place some salad and vegetables on the bottom of each bowl or plate.
• Place a good handful of noodles on top of the salad.
• Top with however many meatballs you like.
• Garnish with some herbs, roughly torn.
• Generously drizzle some Vietnamese dipping sauce over the noodles and meatballs, and use chopsticks to mix everything together.
• Provide each person with a bowl of dipping sauce to drizzle over the noodles and also to dip the meatballs into.

BUN CHA (VIETNAMESE PORK MEATBALL AND NOODLE SALAD)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons water and cook over high heat until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add 2 tablespoons cold water, swirling the pot.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, caramel sauce, and pepper, and marinate in the refrigerator for 90 minutes to six hours.
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a large mixing bowl.
• When the pork is through marinating, remove from the refrigerator and shape into small patties, about 15 to 20 in all. Heat a charcoal grill or a broiler to high. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the directions on their package. Drain, then rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process.
• Meanwhile, grill or broil the pork patties until fully cooked and slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spoon the sauce into four bowls, then place the pork patties over the sauce. Place the herbs and lettuce in one large communal bowl and the noodles into another large communal bowl. To eat, dip some of the noodles into the sauce and eat with the patties and herbs.

BUN CHA RECIPE - VIETNAMESE GRILLED MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Marinate the sliced pork belly with half of the ingredients in A for half a day.
• Mix the ground pork with half of the ingredients, then lift the meat and repeatedly throw it back to the mixing bowl until it is clear from the side of the bowl and becomes slightly bouncy. Next, portion the ground pork slightly smaller than a golf ball and flatten them slightly. Let them sit for half a day before grilling.
• Heat some vegetable oil in the grill pan over medium heat.
• Place the pork belly on it, undisturbed for two minutes on one side to get the grilled mark.
• Then, flip over and do the same for the other side until it is nicely caramelized.
• Grill the meatballs just like the sliced pork, except it takes slightly longer to cook.
• Put the sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and water in a pot.
• Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
• Let it return to room temperature, then add the lime juice and mix well.
• Cut the carrots and daikon into thin slices.
• Add a large teaspoon of salt to it and mix well.
• After fifteen minutes, wash away the salt and drain.
• Add the vinegar and sugar.
• Keep it for at least one hour, and it is done.

BUN CHA

Steps:

• For the grilled pork patties and pork belly: Turn on a kitchen exhaust fan or open a nearby window. Things are about to get smoky! Combine the sugar and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Cook until the sugar mixture darkens to a deep, dark brown hue similar to soy sauce and the mixture is smoking, 5 to 7 minutes; swirl the pan as needed to ensure even cooking.
• Immediately turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the hot stovetop. Carefully add 2 tablespoons of water to the saucepan (the mixture may sputter). Use a heat-safe rubber spatula to stir the caramel until completely smooth. Transfer the caramel to a medium heat-safe bowl and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. It will thicken as it cools.
• Meanwhile, put the ground pork and the pork belly into 2 separate medium bowls.
• Stir the fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, bouillon and black pepper into the caramel until well combined. Add 6 tablespoons of the sauce to the ground pork then add the remaining sauce to the pork belly. Use your hands to mix each meat with the sauce until well combined. Refrigerate each for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. (Do not refrigerate overnight or the meat will get too salty.)
• Scoop the marinated ground pork into 18 portions (about a scant 1/4 cup each), placing each on a large baking sheet. Roll each portion into a ball then flatten into a 1/2-inch-thick patty about 2 inches wide.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Preheat an outdoor grill or a large 2-burner cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the grill grates or grill pan with oil. Working in batches if needed, cook the pork patties until charred and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side, rotating the meat as needed to ensure even cooking. Transfer the cooked patties to a clean baking sheet.
• Reduce the heat slightly (between medium and medium-high). Working in batches if needed, cook the pork belly until charred and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side, rotating the meat as needed to ensure even cooking. Place the cooked pork belly to the same baking sheet as the pork patties and place in the oven to keep warm while you make the dipping sauce.
• For the dipping sauce: Combine the sugar and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot and starts to steam, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup cold water, the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, carrot, green papaya and chiles. Stir to combine.
• For serving: Divide the vermicelli among 6 individual serving bowls. Place the lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro and mint on a platter.
• Divide the pork patties and pork belly between 6 medium serving bowls or plates. Pour 1/2 cup of the warm sauce over the meat in each bowl. Serve each diner a bowl of pork and a small bowl of noodles. Pass the platter of vegetables and herbs. To eat, dip the noodles, herbs and vegetables into the warm sauce. Alternatively, you can hand tear the lettuce and herbs and add them to the sauce along with the other vegetables before dipping in the noodles, or enjoy the dish anyway you like.